One Thousand Days
by Skyozoru
Summary: Nagi Springfield, otherwise known as the "Thousand Master" and the strongest magician in history finds himself plunged into another universe. Though his goal is too return home, that doesn't stop Nagi from getting himself dragged in with Tenbi Academy to battle against their adversary, Kamigari and Takeru Yamato. Nagi x Harem. Takes place during Chapter 62 of Maken-Ki Manga.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm not good at writing introductions so I'll just make this quick. This is my first fanfiction and I've always been a huge fan of Negima, or more specifically, Nagi! In any case, this is a cross over between Negima and Maken-Ki which I'm aware isn't that popular of a manga series but I love them both so that's trivial to me. The story takes place during the start of the Himekagura Festival, which for all those who aren't aware, is Chapter 63.**

 **Let's see what kind of trouble Nagi can get into when he arrives at Tenbi Academy! Read On!**

 **Chapter 1: Arrival**

* * *

【 **Somewhere In The Magic World** 】

Surrounded by nothing more than damaged rock terrain and boulders, two entities faced one another as the tension between them was so thick it would suffocate anyone foolish enough to try and get near it.

"Your one tough son of a bitch, I'll give you that..." Those words came from one of the figures who were standing on a destroyed rock cliff. Wearing a shredded brown cape that flapped violently as a cold breeze blew past his tall figure, a young man with dashing crimson hair stood adamantly on top of the damaged cliff with a prideful smirk.

He panted heavily as drips of sweat fell from his face, the faint scent of blood mixing in with it as drops of blood dripped from his mouth.

He wasn't in the best condition to say the least, what with his body in tatters and his strength quickly fading. He looked at his adversary who was also in a similar condition as his chiseled body that looked like he was made out of marble had notable wounds on it.

The red haired youth smiled at his handiwork before he cracked his neck and pounded his fist with an open palm.

"So big guy, you think you've got enough in you for one final round?"

His adversary, who had been listening to the man's provocation, could only snort in amusement, clearly intrigued by the youth's confidence even while in that state. It didn't come off as empty arrogance but more as unyielding confidence as he truly believed he would not be defeated.

This man, Nagi Springfield was truly one of a kind and he had thoroughly enjoyed his bout with the renowned magician known as the "Thousand Master". It had taken him months to track the man down and tag him for a battle, resulting in several days of an all out slobber knocker.

The damage from their bout had already leveled everything within a thirty kilometer radius, causing those in faraway lands to wonder if there was some sort of divine earthquake happening.

"Nagi, I've truly enjoyed this battle with you. Your title as the strongest is not misplaced; however I'm afraid I'll have to strip you of that title once and for all!"

With that, a great amount of energy began to swirl around the muscled man as he concentrated all of his power into his next attack. He was preparing to give it everything he got and wasn't going to hold anything back. Victory was going to be his!

Nagi could only show an amused grunt at witnessing his rival's impressive showing. The bastard had been hiding this much power all this time?

" _Heh, I'll show you who's the strongest!_ "

Following his lead, Nagi began to concentrate his own energy and spread both of his arms out as a colossal amount of magic was poured into them. The ground began to shake as these two monsters had started to charge up and it felt as if the world itself was beginning to shake. Bolts of lightning flashed across the canyon and the air itself began to burn around them.

Rocks that had been sitting nearby were instantly vaporized and the sky turned dark, clearly indicating that whatever the two were about to do was even affecting the weather.

"Haaaaa...!"

In a flash of light, both of them were gone as all that was seen of the two remaining fighters were trails of energy that continuously clashed with one another. Forget high speed movement, the two of them were clearly moving at a speed that transcended even light itself as they clashed again and again, destroying the surrounding area in their titanic battle.

They separated from one another finally and both levitated in the air, gazing at each other from a distance. This was going to be the final showdown between a man who was called the strongest magician and the man who was stated to be on par with even Jack Rackan, the Unbeatable Gladiator.

"Nagi...!"

"Zeto...!"

Nagi and Zeto both dashed at each other as they drew their arms back, colliding with another not a second later. The ground beneath them was instantly destroyed and the clouds floating in the air were annihilated instantly. It was if the heaven's themselves were trembling at their power.

"Haaaaaa...!"

Neither side refused to give into their wounds as they both shouted with all of their might. Zeto, who had used every ounce of strength he had left to keep up with Nagi slowly felt his power draining and noticed his body being pushed back. He grunted as he couldn't believe the sheer amount of power that a man of Nagi's size could generate. It was absolutely mind boggling!

" _So this is the power of Nagi Springfield!? He truly is the monster...!"_

Zeto resigned himself to his fate and in his mind, had accepted this loss as all of the power within his body just seemed to leave him. Just as Nagi picked up on this and prepared to finish it, an unexpected turn of events had presented itself to the two of them.

Appearing right between Nagi and Zeto was a crack that took the shape of a shattered window.

"Huh...?!"

"Wha...!?"

Both Nagi and Zeto were both bewildered at the strange turn of events as they lost their focus and due to that, their attacks subsided. Their astonishment wouldn't last long however as the rip opened and revealed a black abyss that began to suck in everything within the vicinity.

"Shit...!" Nagi grimaced as he tried to move away but the portal's gravitational pull was far too strong and he slowly drifted towards it.

Zeto wasn't fairing much better as he too was slowly drawn to the endless darkness. "What the fuck is this thing!?"

Nagi's head went into overdrive on how to escape the void before he turned to Zeto to see the grown man showcase a face full of regret and fear as he was also being sucked in. Unlike Nagi who's only remaining family was his beautiful wife, niece, and eventual son who would be born soon, Zeto was the leader of his own tribe and was adored by his mother, father, wife, son, daughter, and siblings back in his country. Zeto's aim was to defeat the strongest magician and return back to his country to proclaim his new title, something that would help protect them against anyone who wanted to harm him loved ones.

Nagi could easily understand why he was showing such a face, they were most likely about to die so the thought of never seeing those he loved so much must have been too much for the big softie.

" _Forgive me Arika..._ " Nagi thought as he closed his eyes and wished his beloved wife a final goodbye. He had gone through absolute hell to win her affections and now he was going to die, leaving her all alone. Though she still had his companions like Jack, Albero, and Eishun to look after her, Nagi was someone whom she had given her life too and vice versa. The two had run away together and became rogue lovers, not allowing their unfortunate pasts to stand between their relationship. Eventually, Nagi had gotten Arika pregnant and was finally going to be a father, a father! Nagi didn't know much if anything at all about raising a kid but it was one of the challenges of life that he looked forward to doing. It was a shame that he was never going to see his son be born, or grow up, or eventually learn magic from the coolest dad on the planet. What a terrible shame indeed.

Even while thinking about all of that, Nagi had no regrets about what he was about to do.

With his remaining strength, he dashed forward and grabbed Zeto's large hand, an act that shocked the older man out of his dilemma.

"W-Wha... Nagi? What are you...!"

"Here we go, ya god damn muscle head!"

Nagi used whatever strength he had left to spin Zeto around and then with one huge motion, catapulted the man below, allowing him to escape the rift's dimensional pull.

"Nagi...! Why the hell...You dumbass!" Though it sounded like an insult, Zeto's word were filled with genuine concern and worry as he saw his rival being swallowed up by the vacuum.

Nagi could only produce a wry smile at him. "Sorry, tell Arika that there was nothing else I could do. Take care of your family, you hear me!"

"Nagi...!" Zeto's voice rang out in desperation as he was forced to watch his rival along with friend; disappear completely into the black void.

* * *

【 **Tenbi Academy, 10:00 PM** 】

Minori Rokujou was annoyed.

 _Very_ annoyed.

Sitting in her executive's chair in the Principal's office, which basically meant her own room, was an exhausted Minori who was wearing her trademark tracksuit that did a poor job at hiding her ridiculously ample bosom. She would have worn a more professional attire to fit the mood but decided to screw the whole formal crap and just wear something comfortable.

Her back was creaking from the stress of having to approve a bunch of new applications for Tenbi Academy and she rubbed her aching shoulders.

"God, how the hell am I supposed to finish all of this by myself!?" Her eyebrows twitched in annoyance when she turned her attention to a mountain of paperwork she had yet to even start.

The rules of applying to Tenbi Academy were easy enough and anyone could do it but they needed to be approved by, of course, the principal herself to be accepted. Minori judged herself to be a fair person so she had no qualms with letting anyone apply, whether they be weak or strong. Of course, she preferred strong since there was no harm in welcoming powerful new recruits to improve the school's safety. Not to mention, you wouldn't survive for long in this school if you were a complete weakling.

Getting up from her desk, Minori stretched her whole body, ignoring the bountiful sounds of her breasts juggling up and down and turned her eyes to the open glass window. A beautiful round moon was hanging in the sky as she placed her hands on her hips and smiled.

"Heh, second semester is just around the corner. I wonder if this term will be as interesting as the last one"

Before she could get back to her work however, she noticed a small black hole in the middle of the sky and furrowed her eyebrows.

"...Huh?"

She thought her eyes were playing tricks on her and blinked several times to clear away any possible fatigue but it proved fruitless as the hole was still there. If her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, she could have sworn it was getting even bigger! Minori's eyes widened in fascination at the spectacle as she observed the black hole continue to grow until it was big enough to completely cover the moon in width.

" _What the hell is that!?"_ She mentally screamed as she had never seen anything of the sort in her life.

Suddenly, a stream of white light separated itself from the black dot and headed south, directly away from Tenbi Academy. A few seconds passed by before Minori felt the entire academy shake from whatever had landed from that stream of light. She stumbled to her feet and grabbed her nearby desk to keep herself from toppling over as the shaking eventually died down.

" _What in the world..."_ Minori looked quite shaken up by what had just occurred and she felt a cold sweat run down her spine when she sensed the limitless power come out from that black hole.

"Minori!"

Busting into her office, Gen Tagayashi quickly rushed in with a perplexed expression.

"Did you feel that!?"

Minori turned to face him and frowned heavily. "Well obviously! How could anyone _not_ feel the earth almost breaking apart!" Though she didn't intend to come off as aggressive, she was far too unsettled to control her emotion.

Gen had quickly understood this and swallowed his spot. "So, do you have any idea what it was about?"

Calming down, Minori took a deep breath and slowly nodded. "Yea, I just saw some black hole appear in the sky and something came out of it"

Gen cocked his head to the side at her explanation. "Huh? A black hole? Your gonna have to be more specific"

Minori felt a bit annoyed but judged it necessary to give a more detailed explanation as she retold the events of the strange phenomenon that occurred to Gen who's eyes shot out in astonishment.

"A-Are you serious, Minori? I've never heard of anything like that happening before... what does it mean!?"

Minori could only look at Gen with a hardened expression before she folded her arms.

"Dunno, but we'll have to deal with it tomorrow as we're still preparing for the second semester. I'll inform the students tomorrow at the opening ceremony and I'll have someone from the Maken-Ki investigate it"

Gen looked pleased with that decision before he grinned. "Sounds good, I guess I gotta get myself ready for tomorrow too. With all the new freshman coming in, my skills are going to be in high demand"

The busty principle gave a wry smile towards Gen's prideful expression before she shooed him out of her office and slumped back into her chair. A few drips of sweat fell from her face as she recalled the indescribable feeling she sensed when that black hole had appeared.

"Tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day..."

* * *

【 **Oyama Dojo, 10:00 PM** 】

"Hmm..."

Glancing at himself in front of a mirror, Takeshi Oyama was admiring the trim he had given his beard and nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad I say"

Leaving the shaver in his drawer, he made his way out of the washroom and headed into the garden in front of his dojo. His gaze fell upon the clear and serene view of the beautiful moon as he admired it with a frown.

It had been a few years since his wife's death along with his son's refusal to live with him anymore and Takeshi's guilt for allowing things to transpire had been building up. Though his wife had assured him that what occurred that day was _not_ his fault, Takeshi could not help but feel as if anything bad that transpired in his son's life would be a direct cause of his lack of parenting.

He ran a hand through his ruffled brown hair and sighed, contemplating several ways to apologize to Takeru. The boy had grown up and wasn't a kid anymore, at least physically speaking. God knows how his son would have turned out when it came towards the opposite sex with his perverted mind, Takeshi thought. Though, he had to blame that one on himself as he inherited the Oyama gene where you were destined to be a pervert. It was just in their blood.

"I wonder how he's doing..." His mind was filled with memories of his son and wife playing together before his attention was directed to an unforeseen development.

"Hmm...?"

His voice was barely above a whisper as he saw a black hole form in the middle of the sky where the moon was and from it, a stream of light shot out of the hole. It headed straight for his garden as it smashed right into his beloved fields, leveling the entire grassland as Takeshi threw his hands in front of his face to block the incoming debris.

" _This pressure...!?_ " Even after activating his『 **Casting** 』to raise a barrier in front of him, the debris was still able to push him back considerably as he held on for dear life.

The vast amounts of dirt and air began to subside as Takeshi wondered what in the hell could cause such destruction before his vision started to become clear. He slowly made his way towards where the hole was and narrowed his eyes to the center of the crater.

"What in the world..."

His eyes fell upon a mysterious youth that was lying down face up inside of the crater.

A young man, clearly in the prime of his life and looked to be no older than the age of twenty with spiky crimson hair. His body was in tatters, with blood seeping out of his clothes and cuts and bruises all over his face and body. The large brown cape that had been underneath him was completely soaked with his blood and his black shirt had been torn to shreds, with his right arm severely burned, a possible after effect from the crash.

Takeshi could only wonder if the man was even still alive with injuries like that before he made his way down the crater and examined the mysterious youth closer.

"... Just who is this man and where did he come from?"

For Takeshi, too many questions had appeared in his head. However, one question stood out among all the others.

"And who the hell is going to fix this damage!?"

* * *

 **That's the end! As requested by a friend, I made a cross over between Maken Ki and Negima. He wanted to see Nagi in this world and since Nagi is one of my favorite characters of all time, it became this. Hope you all enjoyed it!**

 **P.S Zeto is an OC character from Negima, he doesn't really exist.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Stranger From Another World?**

* * *

【 **Oyama Dojo, The Following Day, 8:00 AM** 】

"Ugh..."

Nagi felt his consciousness return as his eyes twitched, if ever so lightly and his body squirmed. A warm sensation was covering his body, from his torso all the way down to his feet and the aching pains he had before were completely gone.

In one swift motion, his eyes shot wide open and he raised his body, checking his surroundings. He was currently lying down in a spacious room, with a number of antiques and furniture that you would find in a household that was strictly Japanese. His sights moved down and he saw a white blanket in between his legs that had no doubt been the warm sensation he had felt earlier.

Examining his body, he noticed several bandages that were placed around his stomach, shoulder, and even his forehead as he lightly touched them. Whoever had stitched him back up must have had some good training in first aid as his bandages held no discomfort.

"Just where am I..."

From what he last remembered before passing out, he was shrouded in complete darkness after he was absorbed by the black hole that appeared out of nowhere. Speaking of that black hole, just what the hell was it? Nagi who had seen more natural disasters in a week than most have in their lifetimes was baffled by the unexpected phenomenon.

He raised his fist and punched his face, wincing at the damage before a small grin formed. This wasn't a dream, good. Still hurt like hell though.

"At least I'm still alive. Only question now is where the hell am I..."

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard in front of him and the door slid open, revealing the figure of an unfamiliar man with brown hair and a well trimmed beard.

"Oh! Finally awake I see" a wide smile formed on the man's face as he walked towards the alert Nagi who seemed on edge at his appearance.

Nagi narrowed his eyes. "You are...?"

The man bent down so he was at eye level with Nagi and smirked.

"We'll save the introductions for later. How are you feeling?"

Nagi didn't seem to mind and only shrugged in response. "Could be better. You're the one that took care of my injuries?"

"I'm not well trained in first aid... but my wife taught me a thing or two..."

Though it was faint, Nagi was able to sense a deep sadness when the man had said those words but by the time Nagi had blinked, it was gone and made him wonder if it was even there in first place. Whatever, it wasn't any of his business.

"I see, I guess I owe you one." Nagi was still cautious of this man but at least judged it fine to give him his thanks. Besides, he couldn't be all bad if he had taken the time to patch him up, right?

"Don't worry about it. Though, I'd be grateful if you could compensate me for the damage you've done to my Garden" Takeshi pointed his finger outside of the door where Nagi's eyes followed.

What appeared before the man was a huge crater that had pushed away all forms of what one might call a "garden" and left it as a barren wasteland.

An awkward laugh escaped Nagi's mouth as he apparently bore witness to his handiwork.

"I... did that?"

Takeshi still held that familiar grin on his face. "You sure as hell did"

An innocent laugh came from Nagi as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head in an apologetic manner. "Haha, sorry about that. Guess I really must have had one hell of a landing"

Takeshi nodded in agreement. "Almost destroyed the entire house too"

Nagi was beginning to sweat bullets after hearing that and was thankful the damage wasn't as bad as he had feared. It wasn't as if he could help it though, he wasn't even sure where he was in the first place!

Having said that...

"You see the thing is... I don't have any money" The same innocent laugh came out again as Nagi had just basically admitted to being flat out broke in front of a man who's property he just damaged. Call it bravery or stupidity, Nagi had to come clean and just be honest.

Takeshi frowned, judging whether the man's words to hold any signs of deceit in them before he concluded that he was telling the truth. By the way this man was dressed when he came crashing down, he assumed that he probably wasn't of any noble background or possessed much wealth to begin with. Though, judging by his outstanding looks and impressive build, he clearly wasn't your average joe.

A sigh came from Takeshi at having to accept this man's subtle plea for an alternative. "I figured as much. Help me clean that mess up and I'll consider any debt between us paid. How's that sound?"

Nagi brightened at hearing the great news and nodded his head. "You've got a deal"

A few minutes later, Takeshi had already prepared breakfast for the two of them as they both sat on the edges of the main lobby, right in front of the crater. Takeshi turned to see Nagi wolfing down his rice and observed the man very closely. The injuries that he had recieved when Takeshi had found him lying in the crater were quite severe, what with him almost being covered in his own blood. However, what astonished Takeshi was that the wounds this man suffered had already closed themselves by the time that Takeshi had brought him inside of the house. From what Takeshi knew, Elements _could_ be used to heal injuries to some extent but to go so far as to close up a near fatal wound? The man's recovery rate must have been otherworldly.

Aside from that, Takeshi had also made the assumption that this man was a martial artist of some kind, definitely a formidable one at that considering the scope of damage the crater had caused. Of course, Takeshi held his doubts about how powerful he was considering this stranger's slender but firmly toned build and ridiculously handsome face. Most pretty boy's he had met weren't anything notable in his opinion, like that Akaya brat who, while being an A ranked ability user, was not anything noteworthy. At least, from Takeshi's standards who was a renowned instructor of Tenbi Academy years prior.

Nagi, finally noticing the man's gaze stopped eating and narrowed his eyebrows. "The hell are you staring at?"

Takeshi, surprised by the boy's rather crude remark just waved an apologetic hand. "Nothing, I was just curious about your condition. You were in pretty bad shape when I found you"

Nagi didn't seem convinced that was all he was "analyzing" but decided it wasn't worth looking into and shrugged his shoulders.

"I was fighting a pretty tough bastard so I'm not surprised. I didn't go into that fight expecting an easy victory" Nagi was telling the truth. Zeto was a formidable opponent that even Jack Rakan, one of Nagi's closest friends and lifetime rival had praised. He still wasn't as strong as Nagi of course, according to his own twisted logic.

"I see, so you were engaged with someone before you landed here..." Takeshi saved that mental note of information as he tried to keep the questions going to learn more about the mysterious man. "So, where are you from?"

Nagi paused for a minute before cocking his head to the side. "I don't think I can answer that"

Takeshi was definitely interested now. "Huh? Why not?"

"I can't remember where I was born. I've traveled for so long that I can't seem to even recall where I grew up"

Takeshi was surprised to hear such a thing and wondered if it could have been an after effect of the landing that he had. Perhaps he had amnesia?

Before he could press on however, it was Nagi's turn to ask some questions.

"By the way, where exactly am I? This place feels a lot different from where I'm from..."

Seeing no reason to deny the man his question, Takeshi decided to answer him. "You're standing in the Oyama dojo"

Nagi raised an eyebrow. "Dojo?"

"Yup" Takeshi stood up and took the emptied plates of food back into the kitchen and returned to where he was sitting with Nagi. "I run this place"

Nagi still seemed confused by this statement as he looked around the area. "Shouldn't a dojo have students? I haven't seen anyone else here"

Takeshi merely shrugged. "A few students come by once in awhile, though most tend to get intimidated when they find out how difficult the training is here. I don't like to brag but some of the most talented element users were trained here."

Nagi snorted at Takeshi's smug looking face. "You could have fooled me"

A hardy laugh escaped Takeshi's mouth as he stroked his well trimmed beard. He didn't know why but he was somehow enjoying this man's company. He hadn't spoken to someone with such familiarity in quite a long time; most people he engaged with lately were far too formal with him out of respect for his stature. It was nice but he preferred conversations like this, not letting titles or family ties interfere.

"Speaking of which, I never caught your name" Nagi asked out of the blue, causing Takeshi to momentarily stop laughing and produce a soft smile.

"I'm Takeshi Oyama, the owner of this dojo. I'd like to know the name of the person who graciously destroyed my beautiful garden"

Nagi could only sneer at the sly way Takeshi had made him feel guilty about destroying his garden before he ran a hand through his spiky hair and laid on the ground with both his hands behind his head.

"It's Nagi"

Takeshi nodded, finding Nagi's name to be quite unique. "Well then Nagi, how'd you like to get started on rebuilding the place? You've got nothing else on your schedule I assume?"

Though he was looking at the sky, Nagi's attention was homed in on Takeshi and he stood up from where he was lying down.

"I suppose. Until I find out where I am and how I can get back, I've got time to spare"

"Alright, then let's get started"

Truthfully, Takeshi wasn't sure this man was actually going to be of much help since repairing the damage done by a freaking crater was no simple task, even when using elements. It'd take a few weeks at least to fill in the hole and get it back into the shape so his plan was just for him and Nagi to get started a little bit and wait for the construction team to take over.

The real purpose in having Nagi stay here and help him fix it was to ascertain Nagi's character. Takeshi was still very curious as to where Nagi had come from and how he ended up in his backyard the way he did but was careful enough to realize that asking too many questions might put him off. Nice and easy was the way he was going to go about things and he'd edge information out of him little by little.

At least, that was what he hoped would happen.

"Wha..."

Takeshi, with his mouth slightly wide open and eyes blinking in bewilderment, gawked at the newly constructed garden in front of him in utter confusion.

He had left Nagi in charge of starting to fill in the hole with cement and went into the warehouse to get some shovels. When he had returned, he had expected nothing to have changed save for maybe Nagi getting an early lead in and possibly moving a few rocks out of the way.

However, _this_ wasn't what he had been expecting at all. It was as if the crater has never been there in the first place as he watched the blank faced Nagi stretch his arms and produce a bored yawn.

"Nagi... how did you do this?"

Nagi only shot him a confused a look and raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Apparently, he had misunderstood what he was trying to say.

"Let me put it another way, how the hell did you fix the crater so fast!?"

As if his face was saying "Oh", Nagi merely shrugged and lazily raised his hand. "It was just some earth magic, no big deal. Even a dropout like me can do it"

"Earth... magic?" Takeshi was at a complete loss of words at the newly mentioned term that Nagi had just sprang on him. He hadn't used elements or a Maken, but magic? Since when did ability users classify the supernatural as magic?

Takeshi needed to confirm this. "Are you using a Maken?"

Nagi frowned. "The hell's that?"

Takeshi put a hand to his chin as he tried to piece things together. This was troubling to say the least as he never expected to meet a person who could utilize what Nagi called "magic". He assumed it was based on the same principle as using an element and exhibited similar properties. Still, what troubled him more was the fact that Nagi was not aware of what a Maken was, let alone an Element. To be any sort of martial artist in this world, one needed to have basic knowledge of using Elements.

Though, Takeshi wasn't one who could really talk as he didn't know crap about the fundamentals of Maken and just used pure martial arts to strengthen the physical body to the absolute limit.

"Are you not familiar with the terms Element and Maken, Nagi?" He needed more information.

"Never heard of those terms before in my life. Is that what you classify magic as over here?"

Takesh folded his arms. "No, we've never used the term magic in regards to Makens or Elements. I'm sure they mean the same thing but clearly, there's a noticeable difference"

Nagi was a bit perplexed at Takeshi's sudden barrage of questions and didn't understand what the terms "Maken" or "Elements" were supposed to mean. Being a dropout, Nagi was not that familiar with magic terminology but even he knew that these new terms were nowhere to be found in his world.

In his world.

World.

That word resounded in Nagi's head as he recalled the rip in the dimension of where he and Zeto had fought. Though he wasn't sure on how he survived at first, he was beginning to get an idea of what had really occurred and looked at Takeshi with a hardened expression.

"Oi, Takeshi. Call me crazy but... I think I might be come a different world"

Takeshi looked stunned by the statement before he erupted into his trademark laugh.

"Hah! Nice one there, Nagi. You almost had me fooled for a second"

Nagi's eyebrows twitched. "Does it look like I'm kidding, jackass?"

Takeshi abruptly stopped laughing when he noticed the annoyed look on Nagi's face and tried to contemplate his words as if he were speaking the truth.

"Wait... you're serious? You really expect me to believe that you're from another world?" Though he said that with scepticism, the idea wasn't completely farfetched to Takeshi. I mean, how else would you explain that strange occurrence that happened earlier? Not to mention his use of "magic" that didn't utilize a Maken or Elements?

Nagi merely shrugged and leaned his back of a nearby tree. "Well, I don't really care if you believe me or not. It makes the most sense to me anyway."

Takeshi wasn't sure how to respond to that but decided against speaking his concerns and focused more on his repaired garden.

"In any case, I really appreciate you fixing that crater. I expected the repairs to take at least a few weeks and you did it instantly"

"Earth magic isn't my specialty but a hole that size seemed easy enough to fix" Where Nagi came from, magic of that quality was hardly anything special and anyone who attended the Magic Academy and wasn't a complete novice could pull it off. Having said that, Nagi learned a few basic spells from several elements for convenience sake but found them to be absolutely worthless in a real fight. Who knew that such a basic spell could be used like this?

A glint of excitement filled Takeshi's eyes as he began to find himself more interested in Nagi's powers. "You said it isn't your specialty. That means you can use more of this magic other than moving the earth?"

Nagi smirked. "Of course. I've got a bundle of tricks up my sleeve, I'm just that great"

A sense of amusement filled Takeshi as he stared at the arrogant face of the young man who seemed to have quite an ego on him. The thought of seeing how good this man truly was had begun to take over Takeshi.

"If that's the case, what say you to a quick sparring session?"

Nagi's ears piqued up at that mention as he scanned Takeshi's face to see if he was serious or not.

"A sparring session...?"

Takeshi nodded. "I don't see why not. You fixing the crater has given us plenty of free time and I'll admit, I'm curious to see if that confidence you have is just hot air"

Nagi couldn't deny the irresistible urge to start fighting again, especially after his body had felt a bit sore when had woken up. Seeing no reason to object, he sported a wide grin and punched his palm.

"I'm down, where are we going to do this?"

Takeshi firmly nodded and turned around. "In here, the dojo is the place to settle all disputes"

Nagi followed Takeshi back into the main house of the dojo and they both stood away from each other on opposite sides.

" _Excellent, now I'll be able to see what this so called magic is capable of. I should hold back against him since I don't want to beat him before he shows anything worthwhile"_

As Takeshi was planning his move, Nagi was stretching his arms and cracking his neck to the side, eagerly awaiting the prospect of fighting again. His last match with Zeto had ended without a clear winner, though he was certain he would have kicked his ass in the end. This Takeshi seemed to be a decent enough fighter based on his outward appearance and the fact that he ran his own dojo. Nagi was thoroughly hoping for a good fight.

"Anything goes in this sparring session; the winner will be the one who concedes defeat. Does that sound alright?" Takeshi asked while he adopted an unfamiliar fighting stance.

Nagi yawned and nodded his head. "Sure, anytime you're ready"

Takeshi frowned as he noticed Nagi's lack of focus but smiled inwardly. He was expecting something like this, as he had fought many people before who had gotten inflated ego's because they were considered unbeatable from their hometown's. Takeshi couldn't count the number of poor souls that were thoroughly thrashed after he was through with them. Nagi may have been a unique person with his so called "magic", but he was going to be in for one hell of a surprise.

Of course, Takeshi had no way of knowing that the reality of the situation was _far_ from what he could ever imagine.

"Begin!"

Takeshi dashed in with impressive speed, a testament to his vast years of experience and maneuvered around to Nagi's back. He smirked when he saw Nagi's unresponsive body stand still and assumed that he hadn't been able to react to him.

" _Let's play with him for a bit to get him riled up!"_

Takeshi was planning to sweep Nagi's legs from behind him and threw his leg out in order to do so. As his foot made contact with Nagi's feet, Takeshi's leg surprisingly phased through Nagi's body as if it wasn't even there.

"Wha!?" Stunned, Takeshi backed up for a bit when he noticed the image of Nagi's body become slightly transparent and then slowly fade away, as if it was an after image of sorts.

"What are you doing?"

Swiftly turning around, Takeshi saw Nagi standing behind him with both of his hands in his pockets and a confused look on his face, as if he was staring at an idiot.

"Y-You... how did you..." Takeshi was having a hard time understanding what just happened as he let out that confused choice of words.

"Quit holding back on me, I won't settle for anything less than your best, you hear me?"

Takeshi couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure, he wasn't completely giving it his all but he definitely used a great amount of his speed in an attempt to embarrass the poor lad. His aim was to sweep him before he knew what had happened to show the marginal difference in ability so that he would get frustrated enough to show off his "magic". The fact that Nagi was not only able to see him coming but also move so quickly that he left an after image before someone of Takeshi's skill was able to notice meant...

An awkward chuckle came from Takeshi as he scratched the back of his head. "You must forgive me, I seemed to have underestimated you quite a bit"

Nagi inclined his head before smirking. "No biggie. Though, it is quite a change of pace to be underestimated for once. From where I come from, everyone comes at me with the full intent to kill because of my reputation."

"...Is that right..."

Takeshi made his way back to his original spot and took a deep breath, allowing his body to loosen and his concentration to reach its peak. Holding back against this incredible man was a foolish move and he now decided to meet him with his best.

Nagi immediately noticed the change in the man's attitude and grinned. It seemed like he was finally going to take this seriously.

" _Now that's what I'm talking about"_ Nagi now removed his hands from his pockets and straightened up, now hoping a good match. He wasn't used to this sparring thing so he was expecting quite a lot from the old man. He also needed to know the standard of strength of those that lived in this world.

A brief silence enveloped the room as the two combatants glared at one another, waiting for the other to make the first move. The silence was then drowned out by the sound of a bird chirping and it landed outside on a nearby tree.

"Go...!"

Takeshi shot himself forward towards Nagi who remained stationary like before. However, in one swift motion he squinted his body and headed straight for Takeshi.

A cold sweat ran down Takeshi's spine as he bore witness to the man's incredible speed who was able to close the gap between them in a second. Even still, a wide grin formed on his face at being fortunate to meet a man as skilled as this." _A head on clash is it!?_ "

Takeshi thrust out several punches towards Nagi with such blinding speed that it appeared that he had several arms. Nagi parried each of them easily enough before he threw some of his own towards the somewhat startled Takeshi. Grunting, Takeshi blocked every punch Nagi threw at him but winced each time his hand made contact with Nagi's as he felt the incredible power the man held with each punch. His arms were starting to get numb as Nagi continued his flurry of punches that Takeshi was barely keeping up with until Takeshi stopped blacking and disappeared from Nagi's sights.

Nagi withdrew his arms and stood still, his eyes glancing in several directions of the room. Truth be told, Nagi could easily follow Takeshi's movements and what looked incredibly fast to an outside party was pitifully slow towards the red haired magician.

" _Is that really all he's got?_ " Nagi inwardly frowned at the lack of impressive showing by Takeshi who he assumed was still holding back. Here he was expecting a good fight and the old man was still underestimating him. How annoying, Nagi thought.

Takeshi had appeared on top of Nagi and threw a punch towards the man but was taken back when he saw Nagi already moving out of the way. Takeshi spun himself and landed on the ground with both feet before moving towards Nagi once again, this time planning on blasting him with a powerful frontal jab.

" _Hoho... you want to face me in a head on clash? Let's see what you got_ " Nagi was intrigued and dashed forward towards Takeshi, drawing his arm back to increase the maximum output of his jab.

Nagi and Takeshi were only inches apart before they launched their fists forward and clashed with one another, the impact of their confrontation generating a fierce wind and shaking the dojo to its core.

However, it was clearly a mismatch as one of the combatants was completely blown away from the clash and smashed right through one of the walls of the compound.

"Agh!?" Takeshi's body ended up roughly rolling through the house and finally came to a stop when he landed against the stairs right outside of the hallway. He was in a state of utter confusion as he couldn't grasp what just happened and looked at his now broken hand that had bruises all over it.

" _What kind of freak of nature is he..._ "

Takeshi had confronted more than his fair share of powerful enemies in his day but he had never met a person who could overwhelm him in both speed _and_ physical power so effortlessly. Even Minori, who Takeshi believed to be one of the strongest element users when it came to pure physical combat couldn't do what Nagi just did against him. If she used her Maken, Dragon Ace then it _may_ have been possible but regardless, Nagi's superior skill was undeniable.

And the scariest thing about it was...

"Oi! You still alive out there, old man?" Nagi's voice rang out from hole in the wall as he appeared in front of Takeshi who produced a wry smile at the man, no the _beast_ standing in front of him.

" _He doesn't even look like he was trying..._ " The idea of Nagi holding back a significant portion of his strength and still being able to do what he just did was a terrifying thought. From what it looked like, he didn't even use his "magic" as well!

Nagi squatted down to meet with Takeshi at eye level and put on sheepish smile.

"Sorry about that, if I knew you were that weak I would have held back more"

An annoyed grunt came from Takeshi at being called "weak" as he stood up and dusted his clothes.

"I'm not weak; your just a damn monster. Jeez, I'm starting to believe you might really come from another world with strength like that"

Nagi cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Is that level of strength not common around here?" Nagi was starting to feel disappointed that there wouldn't be anyone in this world that was worth fighting. I mean, he didn't even use any magic to strengthen his body which was a staple for all magicians. This old man was clearly someone who was _far_ below him if he couldn't even compete with him when he wasn't even trying. Seriously, what a let down.

Takeshi shook his head. "If we're talking about pure destructive power, then of course what you showed me isn't that uncommon. However, I doubt you'll find many people who could do what you did without even using elements to increase their strength"

The term "elements" continued to be a foreign concept to the mentally slow Nagi but he assumed that just how magic in his world could be used to amplify strength and speed, elements could have the same effect.

Nagi sighed. "Well that's a shame, I was hoping to find someone here that I could go all out against"

A light bulb seemed to go off in Takeshi's head at that mention before he threw an arm over Nagi's shoulders, an act that confused the red haired man.

"That's it!" He beamed happily.

Nagi raised an eyebrow at Takeshi's newfound vitality. "What's it?"

Takeshi grinned. "I'm taking you to Tenbi Academy!"

* * *

 **Chapter 2 Done, hope you all enjoyed it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Calm Before The Storm**

 _Let's rewind a bit before Nagi had woken up at Oyama Dojo._

* * *

【 **Kamigari Hidden Base** 】

Miles away from Tenbi Academy under Kamigari's jurisdiction was a hidden location that no one other than direct Yamato family members knew about. The location was top secret and if it's secret got out to those who wished to target Takeru Yamato, then it could spell the utter destruction of the shadow organization.

Due to the passing and humiliating defeat of Ouken Yamato, who had held his position for several decades and made himself recognized as the pillar of the Yamato family, Kamigari had been trying to reevaluate their plans on obtaining the necessary tools to unlock the seal on top of Amanoharo.

Capturing Kodama Himegami, the daughter of Yatsune Himegami who was the former Yamata no Orochi was the critical vocal point to success. However, their attempts at doing so were thwarted thanks to the interference by Tenbi Academy and their students. They weren't expecting the school to possess such capable fighters and they had severely underestimated the potential of said students.

In light of this, preparations to once again seize Himegami had to be postponed for now as they had bigger concerns to prioritize. Yes, the plan to retrieve the eight original Maken otherwise known as the『 **Hachi-Maken** 』had already begun. Four of those Maken were already within their grasps and were distributed to four of Kamigari's top agents that had proven to possess the highest compatibility rate.

Walking through the eerily quiet passageway of the underground base was a woman, who based on appearances alone would be classified as a "secretary". With her noticeably slim and curvaceous figure highlighting her business attire, a scowl appeared on her face as she bit her soft pink lips covered in lip gloss.

To say she wasn't in the best of moods was a grave understatement after having been forced to retreat following the death of her beloved Ouken. The vermin that had _dared_ to try and harm him were well within sight but due to the circumstances, she had no other choice than to take the mangled corpse of Gouken, a clone along with new host of Takeru Yamato, away from that place. It was a disgraceful; being defeated by a mere brat who clearly was a cherry boy loser and the weakened reincarnation of a mere soul.

" _I'll make those wretched children pay dearly for what they did to Takeru-sama…_ " Her anger couldn't be contained as an unbelievable amount of blood lust emitted from her body. She took a deep breath momentarily as her anger began to subside and she marched on, realizing it would be a waste of her time to get riled up now. She'd have revenge when the time came.

Arriving at her destination, a large gate stood in front of the now calm woman as she gently knocked on the door.

A voice could be heard from the other side. "Hm? Who is it?"

Miyabi lowered her head. "I request permission to access this room, Otohime-sama"

"Oh? Miyabi is it? You may enter"

With permission to enter, Miyabi reached for the door hinge and slowly turned it, walking inside of the spacious laboratory that belonged to the science division of Kamigari. Technology that was beyond anything those who were unaware of the supernatural could be found in this tech like room and in the center of it all was a large cylinder that contained a floating body strapped up in test tubes.

"Takeru-sama…" Miyabi's voice was noticeably gentler as she spoke the name of her leader and object of affection. Seeing the body of Gouken that had received almost irrecoverable damage was a sight that Miyabi hadn't wanted to witness but she steeled herself as she walked forward.

"Ara Ara, what brings you by, Miyabi?"

Miyabi turned her attention to the snowflake like woman who was sitting elegantly on one of the shoulders of an incredibly tall and obese woman. Sporting an innocent smile on her face that matched her petite body, Otohime Yamato called out to Miyabi as she playfully kicked her feet up and down.

"I'm sorry to disturb you Otohime-sama but I wished to see how Takeru-sama's condition was"

Otohime paid close attention to Miyabi's body language and noticed the slight trembling in her shoulders and uneasy expression plaguing her face. She inwardly clicked her tongue at the spectacle, wondering how a woman who was her grandfather's secretary could display such an unsightly manner.

She didn't let this show on her face as she continued to smile at her. "Is that so? Well as you can see, Takeru-sama's resurrection is progressing smoothly and it won't be much longer until he awakens again"

A glimmer of hope was seen in Miyabi's eyes with those words as she looked back at her beloved.

"Grrr, these stocks aren't looking too good. What the hell is this company thinking?"

As Otohime brushed a few stray strands of her silver locks out of her drill shaped hair, her eyes wandered to the girl sitting on the opposite shoulder of her favorite seat. With her eyes focused solely on the laptop in front of her, Hoshii Kawase scowled at the results of another unsuccessful investment she had tried.

The obese woman, Kajiru Sorana who was at least eight feet tall frowned as she inclined her head upwards to face her friend. "Hoshii, maybe you shouldn't invest so much money in-

"Shut up! I know I can win this time!" Hoshii snapped at the obese girl who was trying to give advice to her stubborn gambling friend. Looks like something's would never change.

"As a well disciplined knight, I believe your obsession with gambling is quite unsightly"

Everyone presently in the room turned to the source of that comment; several sets of eyes now gazing at a young woman who had her arms crossed and was leaning against one of the walls. A gorgeous angel was what anyone would think if they came face to face with this diva as her vibrant blonde hair, ample bosom, and voluptuous figure were flawless to the point of being divine.

Hoshii grunted in annoyance at the woman's words. "Nobody asked you Espada, so just butt out"

Love Espada, the self proclaimed disciplined knight slowly opened her eyes and moved forward so she was standing beside Kajiru. She inclined her eyes upwards towards Hoshii and the two glared at one another before a charming smile graced Espada's face.

"I'm disappointed, Hoshii-dono. It's not like you too put all of your eggs into one basket. Why don't you try to spread your range so you can yield the best results?"

As if a revelation had hit her, Hoshii's eyes widened. "I-Is that so? Why didn't I think of that!? Espada, you're a great girl!" She gave her a thumbs up.

Espada merely waved a hand in the air. "Think nothing of it. I'm sure Yume-dono would have said the same thing, right?" She turned to face another girl who had been standing nearby with her face as blank and uninterested as ever. Yumemiya Sui, a quiet girl with a track record of going the longest time without speaking nodded her head as her eyes were covered by her large bangs.

Miyabi, who had been watching the bizarre interactions unfold between these four girls, had a puzzled look on her face, as if wondering if they were actually serious.

" _It's still hard to believe these four were known as the Four Pillars of Tenbi Academy…_ "

A snarky laugh could be heard coming from Otohime as she twirled the blue umbrella in her hands.

"Are we done here? We should be heading out now to Tenbi to announce the start of Hime-Kagura"

The four girls all nodded simultaneously as they made their way to the door, passing right by Miyabi who had a pained expression on her face. Previously, she was a member of Kamigari whose authority was only preceded by those within the Yamato family, such as Otohime. However, with the defeat of Ouken, her standing within the organization had dropped considerably, as an aftermath of those believing that she was utterly incompetent at being near Ouken's side and allowing his demise. Though _she_ knew it wasn't her fault that things ended up the way they did, no one would accept her words as anything more than excuses.

She clenched her fists as she looked over her shoulder, watching Otohime and her group of elite bodyguards leave for Tenbi. Even if she hated to admit it, she couldn't deny that the four of them working together with Otohime were quite a force to be reckoned with, especially considering that those four girls each possessed one of the original Maken.

As Otohime passed by the door, a sinister smiled crept upon her face as she had an unbeatable squad of her own now. Seizing the other four original Maken would be a piece of cake with her well calculated plans. Not only that, she had taken great measures to research the element levels of everyone she encountered on that blasted island and would make all those who were involved in that incident pay dearly for what they did. The spanking she received from Haruko was still fresh in her mind and she found herself gently soothing her aching butt from the traumatic experience. That bitch was going to be the first on Otohime's revenge list.

" _Even if our main purpose is to stall for time until Takeru-sama's resurrection, that doesn't mean I can't have any fun while I'm at it kukuku…"_

Though she said that, Otohime held a desire in her heart that she hadn't told anyone about. Besides being a mere clone of Takeru Yamato, she still had aspirations and dreams of her own and one desire she held especially in high regard was her dream of finding the "perfect man". A man who was the epitome of perfect that could match her own flawlessness. If only she could find such a man, her life would be complete.

" _All of the men I've analyzed are either mindless brutes or are annoying narcissist's"_

Her examination of the men in Tenbi Academy fell short due to the lack of real good options. The only ones that had caught her eyes were Akaya Kyodai, the leading captain of Venus Academy and of course her own brother, Gouken Yamato. For obvious reasons, Gouken was out of the picture and Akaya, while handsome and noticeably powerful was too eccentric and well, a goofball. Akaya also being the acting commander of Venus Academy also posed quite a problem since they had now declared themselves a threat to Takeru Yamato.

With that in mind, Otohime's mind wandered to the bland figure of Takeru Oyama, who shared the same first name as her object of worship and she frowned heavily. Not only was he below average in the looks department (him even losing out to his even more pathetic and perverted best friend) but his skills were also at novice level. That fool being able to defeat her lovely Takeru while in Gouken's body was nothing more than a miscalculation due to him using his troublesome ability, Blood Pointer to utilize another's strength.

" _Why that loser has so many girls chasing after him is still a mystery to me_ " She thought as she continued to ride on the shoulder of Kajiru.

Well, it didn't matter to her anymore. Her main focus now was the retrieval of the Hachi Maken and with these girls at her side; nothing was going to stop her.

 _Back to the Present…_

* * *

【 **Tenbi Academy, Principal's Office 8:00 A.M** 】

"Heh, this suit still looks damn good on me"

Posing suggestively in front of a mirror, Minori Rokujou stood dressed as the principal of Tenbi Academy in a formal black business suit and had let her hair down instead of tying it up per usual. She placed a hand on her hips and looked at herself from top to bottom, wondering if it looked pleasing enough for those perverted adolescent boys. The second semester was starting so she needed to look her best for the new transfer students.

She nodded in satisfaction. "Good, I'm all set. Somehow I got through all those applicants so I'm a bit tired but I've gotta endure it for my new cute students"

Suddenly, a knock could be heard coming from the front door. "Excuse me Principal, you called for us?"

Minori walked away from the mirror and made her way back to her large desk where she leaned against it and folded her arms. "Yea, come on in"

The door slowly opened and the figures of three female students entered the room.

The student council president and the head of the security division, Furan Takaki bowed her head. "Pardon us"

A beaming smile was present on the face of the financial adviser of the student council, Yuuka Amado. "Good morning, principal"

"You look very beautiful today, principal!" A soft and gentle voice came from Kimmy Sato, the secretary of the security division.

Minori nodded at their greeting and smirked. "Yo, glad to see you three made it. How were your summers?"

Furan adjusted her glasses as her businesslike manner never wavered for a second. "Taxing. Having to sort through the student roster and organize all of the new students alphabetically wasn't what I envisioned for my summer"

Minori produced a wry smile at hearing Furan's dilemma, but inwardly pumped her fist at having found someone other than herself having a difficult time. It was good to know she wasn't alone.

"I went back home to visit my family, of course my father insisted that I should spend all of my time training. Goodness, he can be just an eyesore" Though she still may have been smiling, anyone in the room could tell that there were traces of hidden hostility behind it.

"I-I see…" Minori wasn't sure what to say to her and turned her eyes to the last of the trio, who jumped up in surprise at having the attention on her all of a sudden.

"Uhm, my summer wasn't interesting in the least. I just stayed on campus and read some of my favorite manga"

Minori cocked her head to the side when Kim had mentioned the word "manga". She wasn't that familiar with the term since she was never one for reading anything other than a few comics here or there.

"Were they interesting?" She was generally curious.

A prideful smile appeared on Kim's face. "Very much so! If you want, I can recommend you an entire-

The sound of someone coughing interrupted the now excited Kim and she turned to the student council president who adjusted her glasses.

"While I'm sure that what you're saying is quite interesting, we should get back to the matter at hand. Principal, what is the reason for summoning us here before the opening ceremony?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Kim apologized swiftly as she bowed her head.

Not really caring about wasting her time, Minori simply shrugged. "It's fine. Furan is right though, I called you all here to talk about the earthquake that had appeared yesterday.

Instantly, the three students perked up and the atmosphere in the room had changed into a more serious tone to fit the mood.

"I guessed it was going to be about that. Principal, are you aware of what caused it?" Furan questioned.

Minori nodded. "Yesterday when I was looking outside, some sort of black hole appeared in front of the moon and from it; something came out and landed miles away from here"

Yuuka, who had stopped smiling, frowned. "A black hole?"

"I don't know any other way to describe what it was, I've never witnessed anything like it before" Minori looked visibly shaken, something that didn't go unnoticed by the three girls who were understandably worried if they're high nigh invincible principal was concerned about something.

"Is it dangerous?" Kim asked with a fearful tone.

"No idea" Minori ran a hand through her dark purple hair as she scratched her head. "It might have something to do with Kamigari but there are no guarantees. Jeez, just when the new semester starts and our forces are spread thin trying to find Takeru Yamato, now we've got this on our plate"

"I'm assuming you want us to investigate where it had landed and report on our findings, correct?" Furan also seemed to be a bit worried at hearing another conflict with Kamigari so soon.

Minori stopped leaning against her desk and walked forward towards her three students, eyeing each of them.

"That's right. Of course, we're not going to be launching a full scale investigation and I just need two of you to scout for me". She looked in between Yuuka and Kim. "You two should be enough"

"Shouldn't I go with them? The three of us together would make for a much more suitable team for gathering intel" It was hard to tell due to her usually stoic manner but Furan was very worried about having Yuuka and Kim be sent there without her. What if there was an enemy attack and they needed her?

Sensing her worry, Minori patted the troubled student on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Yuuka over here isn't just a ninja for show. She'll be able to get herself and Kim out of any danger before anything bad can happen"

Furan wasn't completely convinced. "But what if-

"You worry too much, Furan" Yuuka held Furan's hand as she whispered into her ear. This seemed to calm her down as she gripped her hand and smiled.

"If that is your wish" Furan had relented.

"That's my girl"

The two smiled at one another while Kim gazed passionately at the two with the hopes of catching them take their affection for one another… a step further.

"Uhm…guys?" She had a suspicion about the nature of their relationship but it was still awkward.

Minori's voice cut them out of their trance as a light blush appeared on both of their faces.

"In any case, I'm counting on you two. Let me know if something happens, alright?"

Yuuka and Kim both nodded. "Roger!"

Minori turned to Furan. "Since the festival is just around the corner, I'll be counting on you to lay down the law on any wild transfer students"

"Of course, principal" she bowed deeply and took her leave, along with Kim and Yuuka who had now been given their assignments.

As the door closed with Minori now by herself in her office, the troubled principal sighed while rubbing her aching back and sat down in her chair.

"God, my back is killing me. Aki's chest is bigger than mine and she doesn't seem to have any problems. I should ask her about that…well whatever. First things first, let's take care of the opening ceremony"

Though she said that, Minori couldn't quite shake the uneasy feeling she was getting when she recalled the terrifyingly strong presence that beam of light carried. While she may have had confidence in her girls to not get themselves wrapped up in any trouble, as their principal she felt compelled to secretly pray nothing bad would happen.

That was all she could do.

* * *

【 **Oyama Dojo, 8:30 A.M** 】

After Nagi had so graciously helped Takeshi fix the damages done to his precious dojo _again_ , through the use of clever blackmail that left Nagi hard pressed to counter his claims, the two had both taken a seat in the main lobby.

Takeshi, who at this point had now gotten the hang of Nagi's personality, sat cross legged with a fascinated look on his face as he watched Nagi showcase his "magic". Takeshi had practically begged the man to show it as he wanted to know how it functioned different from elements and Nagi had relented, albeit only agreeing to do so if Takeshi wouldn't hold him accountable for the damages done to his dojo. A fair trade indeed, if Takeshi thought so.

"Hoh... so this is lightning magic, you say?" Takeru was fascinated as he watched little sparks of lightning flash out from Nagi's finger.

"Basically. I have an affinity to lightning so its simple to pull of magic of this level"

"Affinity? Is that some way of measuring what type of magic you can use?"

Nagi shook his head. "Not even close, old man. It was one of the basics I learned at magic school; every person is born with an affinity to one of the many types of elements that exist. Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, I can't even keep track of them all"

Takeshi placed a hand on his chin and frowned. "That sounds a lot similar to how elements work in this world. Though, when I was an instructor I never heard any of the other teachers use the term "affinity". Forgive me; my knowledge regarding elements is scarce at best"

Nagi merely shrugged. "No worries, I'm the same. Never cared much for technical terms and all that other crap. I just focus on what I can do best" He smirked. "It works better for me"

Takeshi fully agreed to that train of thought as he nodded his head and a chuckle escaped his lips. "I suppose we have that in common".

As the duo continued their conversations, footsteps could be heard coming from outside of the door. The person on the other side knocked before she slid the door wide open, having both Nagi and Takeshi's eyes turn towards the unfamiliar girl.

She was a beautiful sight, possessing long dark blue hair and pale white skin. No doubt thanks to rigorous training, she held an impressive figure and had a noticeably large chest that stuck out. Her current attire was that of a student who attended Tenbi Academy.

"Takeshi-sama, please forgive my tardiness. I had to prepare myself today for the opening ceremony since I will be transferring to Tenbi Academy" She wasn't even facing them as her face was fully lowered to the ground.

Takeshi chuckled. "No need for such formalities, Isabella. Today's your first day at school, right? You didn't have to come all this way too-

"Nonsense! How could I, who's imposing on Takeshi-sama be so arrogant as to not pay my respects every morning!"

"R-Right…" Takeshi awkwardly scratched his cheek at his pupil's excessive formality. She had always been this way after she had come to the dojo a month ago to request to train under him. It was sort of cute at first but overtime, Takeshi was beginning to be feel a bit annoyed at such behavior as he didn't care much for people addressing him like this. He wasn't some sort god for pete's sake.

"It looks like you've got an interesting student" Nagi's teasing voice chimed into Takeshi's thoughts as he turned to the now smirking magician.

Takeshi sighed. "Well, she's always been like that. Isabella, introduce yourself to him"

At this point Isabella, who was still kneeling, had heard the voice of an unrecognizable person and her ears perked up in curiosity.

"Uhm, Takeshi-sama. Is somebody there with you?"

"Yea, he's a guest. Introduce yourself already"

"Understood!" Isabella raised her head almost instantly to meet the eyes of the stranger. "Greetings! I am Isabella Garret, the first daughter of the Garret Family and a student training under the magnificent Takeshi Oyama-sama! It's a pleasure to make your acq….." she stopped abruptly and allowed an uncharacteristic gasp of amazement escape her mouth as she now took in the man she was greeting.

From his deep red eyes that seemed to penetrate into her soul, to his beautiful crimson and black hair that embodied the essence of fire and darkness itself; Isabella felt her mind go blank as she had met a man whose physical beauty transcended her imagination.

"Yo"

A casual greeting came from the red haired man as a small smile was present on his lips.

Takeshi had noticed and expected this sort of reaction since he himself couldn't deny the effect that Nagi would undoubtedly have on girls. Of course he wasn't jealous in the slightest, nope. Having girls fall at your feet instantly wasn't something he wanted, definitely not.

"It's a... It's... pleasure… I" Isabella was at a complete loss of words as her mind wasn't thinking straight. Her eyes tried to wander downwards, away from the man's gorgeous face but she felt herself fighting a losing battle as saw his absence of a shirt and witnessed his remarkable torso covered in bandages. Her face lit up like a Jack-o'-lantern as it was apparent that she was madly blushing.

Nagi, of course unfazed by the girl's apparent shock was mildly curious as to why she was mumbling. "You alright there?"

"Eh? I-I-I mean yes! Of course I'm alright, thank you for the concern!" For some reason, she bowed her head but this time did it so fast that she slammed it against the ground, causing her to hold her forehead in agony.

An amused smile formed on Nagi's face. "Don't hurt yourself now"

After the girl had stopped wincing in pain, she immediately answered. "Y-Yes! I-I have to go and prepare for school! Please excuse me!" She didn't waste any time bolting out of the compound as Nagi and Takeshi were left half amused and half confused as to what just occurred.

"What a funny girl" was all Nagi said as he stretched his arms into the air.

Takeshi snorted at Nagi's carefree attitude. "Don't play innocent, I'm sure you know why she acted the way she did"

Nagi cocked his head to the side, obviously in a fake manner as if he had no idea about what he was talking about.

" _You son of a…_ " Takeshi gritted before he just gave it up and sighed. "Well, it doesn't matter now. So, are you interested in going to Tenbi Academy?"

Nagi glanced at Takeshi with a bored expression. "For what?"

"It's a school that nurtures and trains students in using their supernatural powers, along with trying to find suitable candidates to wield one of the original Maken"

Nagi's eyebrow's twitched at that. "You mentioned something like that before. What are these _original_ Maken? How do Maken even work in the first place?"

Takeshi furrowed his brows as he scratched his head. "I'm not the best person to explain it to you since as I'm sure I've told you, my knowledge regarding Elements and Maken are pretty crap" He stopped scratching his head and let his face fall onto his grounded fist "Let's just say they're tools used by ability users to amplify their powers."

"Hoh…" Nagi's curiosity definitely rose when he heard that as he made the comparison of these so called Maken with magic tools that could be purchased in his world. His staff for example was a tool that he used to carry around to harness his magic better but overtime, it became useless to him since he had grown so powerful that it didn't matter. He had left it back in Wales with his niece, Nekane and asked her to give it to his son when he was old enough to start practicing magic. He wondered how she was doing since it had been years since he had spoken with the young girl.

"Nagi?"

Takeshi's voice snapped Nagi out of his reminiscent thoughts. "Ah sorry about that, was just thinking about my niece"

Takeshi was a bit surprised to hear such a thing and look interested. "Your niece?"

Nagi merely shook his head. "Forget about it. These Maken things you mentioned, they sound interesting. Where do they come from?"

"One of my juniors can craft them in his workshop at the academy" Takeshi then made an annoyed expression. "Though he's lacking in quite a few brain cells"

The red haired youth just snorted. "And you aren't?"

Takeshi growled at the snide comment. "Oh and you think you've got all yours intact?"

Nagi chuckled. "Hey, I'm not the one who runs a dojo. I'd be worried if the person teaching me was a complete idiot, hahaha!"

"Hmph, I'll have you know I was one of the top instructors at Tenbi Academy. You don't get that kind of position by just being a mere brute"

"If you say so, old man"

"I'm not old!" Takeshi was now standing up as he growled at the still chuckling man, watching him enjoy himself without a care in the world. His anger quickly subsided however as he couldn't really find it in his heart to get angry at him whom he knew was clearly kidding around.

"In any case" He sat back down and looked at Nagi seriously. "Will you come to Tenbi Academy? I'd like to introduce you to some of my juniors there who would no doubt be interested in meeting a person from another world"

Nagi seemed to contemplate the idea as he thought about his current options. With no way to return back to his own world, he didn't have much of an agenda so going with Takeshi wasn't a problem in terms of time consumption. The only issue that came to his mind was if the journey there was going to be worth it. He wasn't expecting much since Takeshi had thoroughly proven how weak this world's inhabitants must be. Though, there was always the off chance that there might be someone there worth fighting so he couldn't say for sure.

Not to mention, these "Maken" had definitely caught his interest and he was interested to see how they were made and what kind of damage they could do.

Nagi stood up from his seat, altering Takeshi and stretched his shoulder. "Sure, why not"

Takeshi beamed happily as he made his way over to Nagi and patted his back. "Now that's what I'm talking about! You should have just said yes from the beginning"

Nagi scrunched his face in annoyance. "Then that would defeat the purpose of me thinking about it, dummy"

Takeshi chuckled as he continued to pat him. "Haha, that's true! Gahahaha!"

Nagi couldn't understand what he was laughing about before he just lightly chuckled himself and wondered what kind of individuals he would meet at this so called academy.

Takeshi, as if remembering something stopped patting Nagi's back and looked at him from top to bottom.

Nagi raised an eyebrow. "What is it now?"

"I've been wondering this for a long time now but… just how old are you, Nagi?"

"Twenty five"

Takeshi's eyes widened. "Seriously? You don't look a day over twenty with that pretty face of yours"

Nagi shrugged. "Genetics, I guess"

Takeshi nodded as he turned his back to Nagi and placed his hand on the sliding door. "We'll be leaving for the Academy in a few minutes; I'll go get you some fresh clothes since your old ones are still tattered"

Looking down, Nagi noticed his lack of a shirt and saw his body covered in bandages and merely nodded. "Sounds good. I owe you one"

Takeshi smirked before leaving the room and wondering if Nagi would look good in his old martial arts clothes.

Nagi yawned before he walked forward and looked into the beautiful morning sun that shined brightly.

"Guess I'm going back to school"

* * *

 **Another chapter bites the dust.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The New Semester**

 **[Tenbi Academy, Front Gate 8:30 A.M]**

* * *

It was a bright and cheerful day at Tenbi Academy as the second semester had just rolled in. Following the brief but enjoyable summer vacation, many students were eagerly anticipating the upcoming second term, as the yearly Hime-Kagura Festival was going to take place; a joyous school cultural event.

Hundreds of students began to pile in as they made their way past the front gates. More than half of them were transfer students that came from all over the world to enroll in one of the most prestigious institutes that nourished natural born element users.

What played a big part in attracting all of these new freshman were no doubt the rumors speculating of several famous Maken users that were enrolled here, such as Haruko Amaya, Kodama Himegami, Azuki Shinatsu, and Akaza Chacha. These girls were like idols towards their juniors that were captivated by their beauty and strength and wished to follow in all of their footsteps to join the Enforcement Committee, otherwise known as the Maken-Ki.

Speaking of these girls, their summer vacation had also ended and they were seen relaxing in the central courtyard.

"Kyaaaa! It's the Maken-Ki!"

Numerous squeals could be heard among the freshman girls as the figures of their idols standing nearby drew quite the crowd.

"God, do they _all_ have to be so loud in the morning?" An annoyed response came from Himegami as she was sitting down on a bench with her arms crossed.

"They're all worshiping you, Ojou" Himegami's shikigami of fire, Kagezuhi spoke with a hint of amusement.

Next to him, the shikigami of lightning Igazuchi spoke with his usual stoic outlook. "Ojou is amazing so this is only natural.

A sense of pride came over Himegami as a faint blush was apparent on her face and she huffed in the opposite direction.

"But mannnn, there sure are a lot of freshman here. All of them are plain looking though... how boring" Akaza Chacha, the energetic but clumsy dark skinned girl was looking around the courtyard with an anxious gaze. Chacha was always on the lookout for new students that were just joining the academy and she had a knack for picking out the most promising ones.

Next to her, a woman with fierce red hair and a bandage strapped to her nose smirked, pounding a fist into her open palm. " Even if they're plain looking, some of them might have decent skills. As their senior, I'll be more than happy to put them in their place" Azuki Shinatsu was fired up and itching to throw down after her intense training during the summer.

"I don't see Takeru-kun anywhere…" Inaho Kushiya, Takeru's self proclaimed "fiancée" and devoted friend had a sorrowful expression at being unable to catch a glimpse of Takeru who had left the dorm rooms early in the morning, way before anyone had gotten up. It was odd, even though she was rejected by Takeru who clearly held feelings for Haruko, her feeling for the man had remained unchanged. She wanted him to be happy but she just couldn't give up on him, not until Haruko at least acknowledged she liked him back.

Speaking of Haruko, as usual an irritated glare was presently on her face as she held her prized sword and one of the eight original Maken,『 **Murakumo** 』in her hands. "If I know that idiot, he's probably out somewhere doing some last minute training " Haruko gently brushed a strand of her ebony locks and gripped her sword with a bit more force than necessary. "He could have at least told us he was going out…"

Himegami took notice of the disappointed look in Haruko's eyes and smiled playfully. "Aren't you just pouting that you didn't get a chance to show off your new hairstyle to him?"

Just as Himegami predicted, a blush was now apparent on the startled Haruko's face and she swiftly threw her hands to deny it. "W-What!? N-No! I just wanted to try out a new hair style! It has nothing to do with Take-Chan!"

Every girl around Haruko directed a doubtful look towards her. " _Sureeeee…"_

Trying to shift the attention off of her, the flushed Haruko coughed. "I-In any case, we should get moving to the gymnasium for the opening ceremony. You know how the principal gets if someone's late"

They all hesitatingly nodded, recalling the dreadful experience of witnessing the enraged Principal chew out a bunch of students last year. The group proceeded to leave the courtyard and head to the gymnasium, tuning out the voices of admiration they received from students around them.

Azuki, who had both of her hands behind her head and lost in thought, suddenly remembered something and turned to her friends. "Did anyone else feel that earthquake yesterday?"

Chacha enthusiastically threw her hand up. "I did! I did! It was a really big one!"

"I didn't feel anything" Inaho had cocked her head to the side, barely recalling such a thing occurring during her peaceful nap.

Himegami huffed. "The world could end tomorrow and you'd still sleep right through it"

Inaho stuck her tongue out playfully at that comment.

"I also felt something last night but I didn't think much of it because it was so late" Haruko mentioned as she gripped her precious sword in her hand more firmly. "Do you think it's anything we should ask the principal about?"

Azuki shrugged. "Maybe. Unless it had something to do with those Kamigari bastards then I don't really care"

Chacha was of the same opinion and nodded vigorously. "Same here!"

and Himegami nodded. "Same here"

Haruko wasn't all too thrilled at their lack of interest regarding anything other than Kamigari but nodded. She'd ask the principal about it later anyway so it didn't really matter for the time being.

 **[Tenbi Academy, Front Gate, 8:45 A.M]**

All of the students, both returning and new, had already made their way inside the Academy to the gymnasium, leaving the front gate void of any people. Well, except one.

"Damn it! I took too long with today's morning exercises, I'm already late!"

Slightly panting, a brown haired youth wearing the Tenbi Academy uniform was standing outside of the gate with a frustrated expression. He wiped a few drips of sweat falling from his forehead and cursed his bad luck. The plan for today was to wake up early and run a marathon around the school followed by a few muscle exercises for a morning workout. Things had gone according to plan so far... except for the one miscalculation he had forgotten to consider; the time.

The frustrated boy looked at his watch, his eyes widening in horror at the current time. "Shit, the opening ceremony already started. Haru-nee is going to chew me out for missing it" He slumped thinking about the eventual lecture he was going to receive.

"Oh? If it isn't Takeru!"

A huge shadow appeared over the distressed young man as he turned around to meet face to face with a gigantic wall of muscle in the form of another student. Takeru had a hard time understanding how this walking pile of bravado knew his name and cocked his head to the side.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

The huge man chuckled wholeheartedly before he pointed a finger to himself and grinned. "You haven't forgotten about me have you? It's me, Kai Kuragasa"

It didn't register to Takeru immediately but the faint memory of a person by that name crossed his mind. If his memory was to be believed, then this man was the same one that suffered a severe beating from his senpai, Azuki and also that girl from Venus Academy, Yan-Nim.

"Ah! You're that guy who got beat by Azuki-Senpai and Yan-Nim!"

"Oi, don't remember the bad things about me!" Kai growled. He wanted to wash away his embarrassing defeat's and star fresh this semester.

Kai regained his composure and smiled at the figure of the man whom he now held some respect for. After learning that Takeru had been engaged in a fight against the Yamato family during the summer, Kai had started to see him in a better light, and by that he meant more than just a shameless pervert.

Takeru smiled as he examined Kai from top to bottom, noticing the impressive muscles now apparent on his biceps and torso. He was always a physically dominating man but now, he seemed to have gotten even bigger. It kind of made him jealous ash Takeru still hadn't developed any hard muscles yet.

"You must have been doing some hellish training this summer, I can tell!" Takeru was a bit anxious to see what kind of training his friend had been up too.

Kai laughed a bit in embarrassment. "Well, you're not wrong. Azuki-Senpai and Yan-Senpai are my goals so I've got to get a lot stronger to match them". It was now Kai's turn to examine Takeru as a glint of curiosity shined in his eyes. "What of yourself? Surely you've done some training of your own?"

Takeru laughed awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Hehe, you could tell?"

Kai nodded. "Mhm, I can feel that you're different, your element has gotten stronger"

Takeru was honestly a bit surprised that Kai could deduce that kind of information just by glancing at him. He didn't think he looked that much different but was confident in his element manipulation skills since he practiced day in and day out over the break.

"Forgive me if this sounds rude but I'd like to see what level your at now" Kai admitted as he dropped his school bag and took a fighting stance, drawing his huge arm backwards as if he was about to punch him.

Fighting right before the graduation ceremony wasn't the wisest choice of action, Takeru thought that as he threw his hands up. "Aw come on, we're already late already. Let's do it some other time"

Kai had stopped listening and then in one swift motion, threw his arm forward towards Takeru who flinched in response at Kai's new profound speed. His body couldn't react in time as he thought Kai's fist would hit his face before the fist abruptly stopped. Takeru's hair was blown backwards as the wind pressure from Kai's arm was tremendous, even having enough power to forcibly open the large gate behind the two of them.

A prideful smirk graced Kai's face as he watched the stunned Takeru in odd silence. "Surprised, aren't you?"

"Wow! How'd you get so strong, Kai!?" Takeru was ecstatic at Kai's newly obtained strength and was generally curious to how he was able to make such a leap.

"You probably won't believe it but I paid a visit to the Oyama dojo and studied under Takeshi-sensei, your father"

Immediately, Takeru's facial expression darkened when Kai had mentioned _that_ man and he scowled while pouting, averting his eyes from the husky man who raised an eyebrow at Takeru's odd display.

"Something wrong?" Kai had asked with concern since it wasn't like Takeru too act like this.

"No, nothing at all. How good for you to study under that idiot"

If Kai hadn't known any better, he could have sworn that Takeru held some sort of grudge against his father. Kai wasn't all that interested in their history to cause such a rift but he _did_ faintly remember Takeshi constantly asking about his son and whether he was doing fine in school. He hadn't acted any different than normal, which was a hard word to describe Takeshi-sensei in the first place so Takeru's current disposition left Kai a bit perplexed.

A sigh came from Takeru as he scratched his cheek. "Well whatever, at the very least it's good to see you've gotten stronger. Of course, I'd still say I'm a bit ahead" Kai flinched at Takeru's sudden cockiness and a wide grin formed on his face.

"Oh, is that a fact? Well, why don't you show me what you've learned, huh?" He was practically _daring_ for a match, right here and now.

Takeru smiled as well before he noticed a group of girls behind Kai that were heading right towards them. "Perfect timing! Now behold my new powers!"

Reaching deep within, Takeru harmonized his body to control his flow of element and in doing so, created a strong updraft current that blew up a large gust. One of the girls who was walking nearby shrieked in embarrassment as her underwear was revealed, causing Takeru to stick out his chest in satisfaction, a less than innocent smirk now showing.

"How's that!? I can now manipulate natural element to do things like these!"

Kai looked at Takeru with a blank face, filled with both surprise and disappointment with a _little_ pitch of gratitude as a small blush appeared on his face. " _That's nothing something you should be proud of…_ "

"Dear heavens, to have to deal with such filth in the morning. Ooyama Takeru…"

A unforgettable voice ran through Takeru's mind, forcing the troubled teen to snap his head towards the direction of where he had unleashed his divine technique. A group of five girls that all possessed odd quirks between each other strolled right past him, a familiar face seen sitting on the shoulder of a frighteningly tall and obese woman.

"How repulsive"

That snarky voice belonged to no one other than Otohime Yamato, a person Takeru could never forget after what she and her family had done on that island about a month ago.

Kai narrowed his eyes at the mysterious new girls, trying to figure out who they were. "Isn't that girl…?"

"Otohime! How dare you show your face around here!" Takeru had exploded in an outburst of rage as he jumped towards the stationary girl being carried. "You're going to tell me where the hell Takeru Yamato is!"

Otohime sneered. "Still as loud mouthed and unrefined as always, Oyama Takeru" She snapped her fingers. "Espada!"

Before Takeru could even reach Otohime, he was forced to stop dead in his tracks as the sharp edge of a rapier blade was thrust towards him and he barely caught it with his mouth.

"You're deplorable, young boy. To attack a fair lady without a justified reason"

"Tch…!"

The two landed back on the ground and Takeru jumped backwards to gain some distance from the woman who had taken him by surprise. He hadn't even sensed her approach coming and if it wasn't for Otohime calling out her name, he probably wouldn't have been able to dodge that attack.

" _She's fast..._ " Takeru thought as a few drips of sweat fell from his face.

The woman who had taken Takeru by surprise elegantly brushed a strand of her luscious blonde hair out of her eyes before sheathing her rapier. She then looked directly at the alerted Takeru with a small blush on her face.

"In accordance with the heavens, please rid your mind of that disgraceful screech you heard. It was caused due to my lack of discipline"

"….Huh?" Takeru was absolutely puzzled at what the gorgeous blonde was saying, only then realizing that the screech he had earlier must have come from her. He then turned to focus his attention back on the smug Otohime who looked down on him from her elated position.

"As charming as this reunion has been, and I do say that very loosely, I believe I don't have any more time waste on the likes of you. Let's go, Kujira"

"...Kay"

The obese woman responded as she continued to walk forward, with the others girls soon following suit.

Takeru grinned his teeth and clenched his fist at being ignored. "Wait right there you!" He was going to charge at them again but before he could do so, a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Stop it you idiot!"

Takeru turned around to see the face of one of his closest friends, Usui Kengo behind him with a worried expression and slightly panting. When did he even get there in the first place?

"Usui…"

"Look, you need stop and think about your actions before you go and get your ass kicked. Trying to take on all four of them at once is reckless, even for you."

"But-

"He's right" Kai had chimed as he walked towards the duo with a hardened expression. "I could feel tremendous power coming from those four. They must be unbelievably strong"

Usui nodded along with Kai. "Not only that, but those four girls over there… each of them possess one of the original eight Maken"

"What! Seriously!?" Takeru was stunned.

"Even I wasn't aware of that…" Kai grimly spoke as he swallowed his spit.

Takeru only grunted in frustration as he felt annoyed at having a perfect chance to learn about his arch enemy, Yamato Takeru's whereabouts but had to let it slip away. He sighed and calmed down, realizing that he could get another chance. He'd just have to be patient.

Usui studied his friend and put on a warm smile in satisfaction. It seemed as if the idiot had not only gotten stronger physically over the break. He playfully punched his arm and leaned his body over his friend's shoulder. "Looks like someone's matured a bit over the break, hmm?"

Takeru awkwardly smiled. "Y-You think so?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, your still a good for nothing, plain looking pervert"

"And your're not!?" Takeru snapped back as Usui distanced himself away from him.

"Don't be ridiculous" Usui dramatically flicked his hair and gave Takeru a smile with a thumbs up. "I'm a good for nothing, good looking pervert"

"..."

Both Kai and Takeru were stunned into silence as they narrowed their eyes at Usui with a pitiful gaze.

A few seconds passed by before a dark realization had just hit the three boys and they paled. "Crap! We're late! The Principal is going to kill us!"

They scurried past the front gates and prayed that the Principal wouldn't notice their absences. It was their only chance for survival.

 **[South of Tenbi Academy, Near Oyama Dojo]**

After receiving their orders of investigating the flash of light that crash landed near Tenbi Academy, Yuuka Amado and Kimi Sato had already taken off. Since they needed to report back as quickly as possible, Yuuka had decided to travel via running while Kim had used her Maken,『 **Comic Star** 』to write the word『 **Flight** 』to grow a pair of wings and traveled next to Yuuka through the air. Unfortunately, the effects of『 **Comic Star** 』would eventually wear off so they made haste in their pursuit of the disturbance.

Based on the information they received from the principal regarding the location of where the ball of light had landed, it was near an area south of Tenbi Academy that belonged to the Oyama Household. When asked on the history behind the dojo, Minori had explained to them that their former instructor who worked at the academy, Takeshi Oyama and Takeru's father owned the dojo with his late wife Atsuma.

The dojo surrounded a large part of the southern forest of Tenbi and anything in that area was under its jurisdiction. Minori had also asked the two of them to give her former instructor a hello on her behalf since she had been worried about the old man now that he was living alone without his wife or son.

"Are we almost there yet, Yuuka-san?" Kimmy had asked as she flew through the air a few inches behind Yuuka.

After jumping over a tree branch, Yuuka faintly smiled at the worried Kim. "Yes, we've covered a lot of ground in the past few minutes. It should be coming up soon"

True to her predictions, a towering group of stairs came into view as Yuuka along with Kim stopped on a nearby tree branch. What also caught td heir attention were several limousines that were parked next to the flight of stairs, guarded by numerous middle aged men wearing black suits.

" _I wonder who they are and what they're doing here... could they be also investigating this area?_ " Yuuka theorized.

Kimi, who was next to her let out a sigh of relief as her Maken's powers vanished."Phew, I thought the word was going to run out before I reached here" Kim expressed as she landed softly on the ground and brushed off a few specs of dirt on her skirt.

Yuuka wasn't the least bit fatigued as she was a trained ninja, so running long distances was nothing short of child's play for her.

"Shall we go, Kim-san?"

"B-But what if they stop us?"

"If they stop us we'll explain that we're under orders from the principal. I'm sure they'll let us through if they know we have the authority of Tenbi"

Kimi wasn't completely convinced but nodded. "If you're sure..."

The two of them jumped down and marched onward, flinching slightly when several sets of eyes were directed at them. They didn't back down however as they passed by the older men who just kept their gazes firmly on them, watching them climb the long plight of stairs. The girls were curious as to why they hadn't said anything and just let them pass but weren't complaining and took the opportunity to quick their pace so they could meet the famous Takesh Ooyama, a well respected martial artist that even their principal held in high regard. To say they were anxious towards meeting such a figure was an understatement and made sure they'd properly show their respects on behalf of Tenbi Academy.

As they were walking, Kim frantically looked around the area for any signs of anything unnatural. "Uhm, I don't see anything that would have caused that earthquake, Yuuka-san"

Yuuka's usually closed eyes slightly opened as she frowned. "It might be further in at the top of the stairs. Be prepared."

Kim knew that look on Yuuka's face meant that she wasn't playing around and gulped.

When the duo finally reached the top of the stairs, the appearance of an unfamiliar woman, with a dynamite figure and beautiful cerulean hair walking towards them with a flushed face, took them by surprise. She seemed to be in some sort of daze before she noticed the pair and shook her head, regaining her composure.

"Pardon me, are you two here to see Takeshi-sama?" Her voice was stern and sophisticated, having a great sense of maturity within them that matched well with her elegant stature.

Yuuka judged by her uniform that she was a student at Tenbi Academy, or was _going_ to be since she had never seen her around before. She was probably a transfer student.

"Yes, we've come to speak with the owner of the dojo to investigate a certain matter"

Kim, who was standing slightly behind Yuuka in a defensive manner walked forward and bowed. "I-It's nice to meet you, I'm Kimi Sato"

The woman herself bowed as well as a sign of respect. "The pleasure is mine. I am Isabella Garret, second daughter of the Garret Family and a transfer student aiming for Tenbi Academy"

Yuuka nodded and gave a warm smile. "Yuuka Amado, member of the enforcement committee of Tenbi Academy. Nice to meet you"

Isabella's eyebrows raised in astonishment when she learned of Yuuka's stature. "Oh? Please forgive my rudeness; I wasn't expecting to meet such esteemed individuals as yourselves here" The sudden formality caused Yuuka and Kimi to raise their eyebrows in curiosity. "I assume you are here on important business?"

"Yes" Yuuka didn't want to reveal too much information and kept it quick and simple. "We're under orders from principal Rokujou to survey this area"

"I see" Isabella folded her arms and looked around the dojo, as if she was trying to help them with their search. "Though, I haven't witnessed anything around here that has been out of the ordinary"

Yuuka blinked a few times before she frowned. "Are you certain? The coordinates we received were pretty decisive about something unnatural occurring in this location. Anything that might have caught your interest could be useful in our search"

Yuuka wasn't buying Isabella's story as there would be no way that anything that had enough power to be felt all way from here to Tenbi Academy wouldn't have left _some_ sort of trail. Not to mention, those men down below must have also felt the same thing and come here to conduct their own investigations. Yuuka was going to get to the bottom of this!

Isabella cocked her head to the side as she playfully put a finger on her soft lips, contemplating in her head on Yuuka's questions. After arriving here in the morning to give her usual greetings to her sensei, nothing else had happened.

" _Was there anything else? Everything seemed normal… well except for…._ " The image of the ridiculously handsome red haired man appeared in Isabella's mind as her face light up like a tomato and she shook her head, causing both Kim and Yuuka to raise their eyebrows.

"N-N-No, there was nothing out of the ordinary here…yup, nothing…" She had trouble keeping eye contact with them as she was trying to hide her flushed cheeks.

"...Are you alright?" Yuuka's alertness spiked up at Isabella's odd behavior. This woman is definitely hiding _something_ , but Yuuka just couldn't figure out what.

"Eh? I-I mean, of course I am alright. For one to be called a Garret, they have to be composed and in control at all times. I am perfectly fine!"

Both Kim and Yuuka traded glances between each other and awkwardly nodded, deciding it would be better not to engross her any further.

"W-Well if you say so, we're just going to pay a visit to Oyama-sensei before we head back to report to the principal" Yuuka stated, inclining her head towards Kim to signal that they were leaving.

"Oh, is that right? I see, well give him my best regards-

"Hoh... I've never seen you girls before"

Yuuka, Kim, and Isabella all turned around simultaneously as the one and only, Takeshi Oyama was standing behind them wearing his lime green yukata and a welcoming smile on his rough looking face.

Isabella was the first to speak as she bowed respectfully. "Ah, Takeshi-sama."

Takeshi waved his hand to greet the overly formal woman before his eyes turned to Yuuka and Kim, a pair of girls he had no memory of.

"And you two are?"

Yuuka and Kim both bowed in his direction to show their respect.

"It's an honor to meet you, Oyama-sensei. I am Yuuka Amado, the finance of the Enforcement Committee"

"I-I'm Kimi Sato, the secretary. It's so nice to finally meet you!"

"Oh, so you're the new generation of the Maken-Ki huh? Hmm…" He looked at both of them carefully and studied them, causing them both to flinch inwardly at his piercing gaze. Was he trying to see if they were worthy enough to hold their titles?

"Gahahaha, such cute girls! The Maken-Ki sure have blossomed haven't they?" Takeshi's unexpected outburst caused both girls to look at him with disbelief while Isabella coughed in embarrassment.

After he stopped laughing, he folded his arms. "So, are you two here on some official business? It's not like I get many visitors around here that aren't looking to become students"

Yuuka nodded her head. "That's correct. Principal Rokojou asked us to investigate a disturbance in this area that caused an earthquake last night."

It was brief but Yuuka could have sworn she saw Takeshi wince when she mentioned that but his facial expression remained blank and made her wonder if she had imagined it.

"Oh, is that right? How strange, I didn't feel anything…" Though he said that, Takeshi had no doubt that Nagi's crash landing in his garden was the cause of their investigation and was at a loss on what to do. Should he tell them about him and explain the situation? It's not as if he was going to be in trouble or anything, they were probably just sent here on precaution so that nothing unexpected would happen. Still, Takeshi didn't want people to know about Nagi's whereabouts and the fact that he came from another world unless Nagi himself said it was alright. Respecting someone else's private information was a principle that Takeshi and his late wife prided themselves on.

Kimi looked a bit worried. "A-Are you sure, sensei? We're just here to see if anything strange has come up near sensei's living quarters. Any little thing would be appreciated."

Isabella, who had remained observant of their exchange glanced back towards the dojo where she had met that man whom set her heart ablaze and wondered if he was related to this. Of course, it was just a silly theory but she sensed something different about him… something otherworldly.

" _Of course, his looks could be considered out of this world…"_ She seriously wondered how any man could be so gorgeous; he made even the most handsome men she had seen look average in comparison.

Takeshi shook his head and gave the girls a comforting smile. "Sorry girls, I'm afraid I won't be of much help in your investigation. As you can see, everything around here is fine and no disturbances have come up"

Yuuka and Kim followed Takeshi's finger as he was pointing to his garden and the two could only reluctantly accept that this man was speaking the truth. However, Isabella's attitude earlier still made them wonder if they were hiding anything.

"We understand, we'll report back to the principal that everything is fine and there aren't any problems. Does that sound acceptable, Oyama-sensei?"

Takeshi grinned. "Sounds perfect…" He thought about it for a minute before a better idea popped into his head. "Wait no actually, I'll handle it. I'll be heading over to the academy with a guest so I'll stop by to let Minori know what's up. It'll be good to see my old students again, Gahaha!"

Yuuka and Kimi definitely weren't expecting that and traded confused looks while Isabella narrowed her eyes in curiosity, wondering if the guest he was planning to bring along was the person she was thinking of.

Kimi beamed happily at hearing that one of the greatest instructors Tenbi ever had was planning to pay a visit. "O-Oyama-sensei, will you allow us to accompany you?"

Takeshi saw no problem with it and smiled. "Sure, the more the merrier I say"

Yuuka looked at the elated Kimi who was practically doing cart wheels and smiled. Even if she still held her suspicions, she felt glad knowing Kimi was enjoying this.

"By the way, where's this guest you spoke of? Is he a student of yours or…?"

Takeshi pondered that question for a minute and gave them thumbs up. "Let's just say he's an old friend of mine that came in from overseas. I gave him some new clothes to fit in so he'll be out in a jiffy"

Isabella's eyes widened at hearing that news and she mentally saved that information. So he was a foreigner? Well, that must have explained why he felt so different and had such a unique atmosphere around him.

" _I wonder what his name is…Gah! I should have asked him! Stupid!_ " She cursed herself inwardly at having embarrassed herself in front of that man and breathed in to calm down, realizing she could still make a good impression of herself the next time he came.

"Yo, old man! Where'd the hell you go?" A loud and brash voice came from the dojo as all three girls turned their eyes to the source.

Takeshi frowned at the unnecessary nick name and shouted back. "Over here, slow poke! We've got some company!"

The sliding door in front of the dojo opened up and from it, a young red haired man appeared in front of the trio as they all tensed up in his presence. He was wearing a slim black muscle shirt that highlighted his toned biceps and pectorals that matched well with black jeans. He yawned a bit and walked down the stairs to the front yard, the thin blue necklace around his neck swaying side to side with each step. In one hand, he was carrying what appeared to be a brown cape while his other free hand ran itself through his vibrant crimson hair.

"I'm not slow, your house is like some sort of jungle." Nagi stated as he stood next to Takeshi who held a analytic gaze towards the young magician.

"Darn, I was hoping my clothes wouldn't fit you but they look damn good on you" Takeshi lamented.

Nagi's eyebrows twitched in annoyance at hearing that. "Well sorry to disappoint you, next time I'll try to meet your oh so high expectations" Nagi exclaimed with sarcasm that made Takeshi chuckle.

The two of them hadn't even noticed that the three girls standing right before them had been petrified to say the least by the appearance of the mysterious man. For Isabella who was meeting him for the second time, she felt a bit more relaxed but couldn't stop the flush of her cheeks rising again at the sight of him. Yuuka and Kimi on the other hand were both in a state of amazement at meeting such a handsome fellow who was also apparently an old friend of a famous Tenbi Academy instructor.

Of course, Yuuka quickly regained her mind and stepped forward to greet him. "You must be the guest of Oyama-sensei. It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Yuuka Amado"

Kimi was still in a trance before Yuuka nudged her on her shoulder and she jumped up in surprise and bowed as well. "P-Pleasure to m-meet you! I'm Kimi Sato!"

Nagi stopped arguing with Takeshi and faced the two bowing girls with a neutral expression. "Sup. I'm Nagi"

" _So Nagi's his name…_ " Isabella wondered as she finally regained her composure, flinching when she saw Nagi's deep crimson eyes now directed towards her.

"You…"

"I-It's nice to see you again!"

Nagi scrunched his face, as if wondering if he had seen her before. "Who are you?"

Feeling as if a bolt of lightning had struck at her hart, Isabella dramatically slumped at having being forgotten and Takeshi shook his head towards Nagi.

"You dummy, how could you forget her face? You met her an hour ago"

Nagi playfully tilted his head as if trying to remember. "I did…?"

"Oi…" Takeshi couldn't believe how simple minded Nagi was and sighed before a hardy laugh could be heard coming from Nagi, surprising the older man.

"I'm just messing with you, of course I remember you. Your name was Isa, right?"

Isabella's expression improved greatly and she blushed at having being given a nickname so quickly and averted her eyes away from him. "W-Well my name is Isabella but I'm fine…with you calling me Isa…"

Nagi raised his eyebrows. "Hah? You have to speak up, I can't hear you"

Isabella couldn't face the man as she kept her head down with her flustered cheeks, wondering how in the world she could be reduced to such a state just by speaking with another man.

Yuuka and Kim who were observing the spectacle were amazed at seeing a woman of Isabella's maturity act in such a cutesy manner and giggled.

Coughing to clear the awkward mood, Takeshi stepped forward and patted Nagi's shoulder. "Well, we better get a move on. The opening ceremony has already started hasn't it?"

Isabella paled when she realized that she was incredibly late and lost track of time. "Y-You're right! We must quickly make haste towards the school, tardiness on the first day for a Garret is a bad example!"

She then turned to face the group. "My transportation has been prepared outside, would any of you like a ride?"

" _Oh so they were just her escorts..._ " For some reason, Yuuka's heart felt a bit relieved at having learned that they weren't here to also investigate but she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that whatever caused the earthquake was still roaming around. If it wasn't in this area, just where on earth could it be?

Yuuka looked at Kimi who seemed eager to ride in the fancy limo as she had stars in her eyes and sighed. "We'll have to take you up on that offer" She then looked towards Takeshi and Nagi. "Will you guys be travelling with us?"

Takeshi nodded and looked at Nagi who shrugged as if he couldn't care less, ignoring the anxious eyes that were directed at him from Isabella.

Takeshi chuckled. "That sounds wonderful, lead the way"

Isabella, who mentally pumped her fist at having been able to invite both her sensei and Nagi, nodded courtly and ran towards the stairs from where they had come from with the group.

Nagi, who was running beside Takeshi, whispered towards him."You know, I could just fly there."

Takeshi, who normally would have been surprised by hearing such a thing, merely shrugged. "Riding in a limo with a bunch of cute girls isn't so bad, is it?"

"….I guess not"

With that, the five of them made it to the cars parked outside and proceeded to head to Tenbi Academy, with the mysterious stranger Nagi ready to begin his search on how to get back to his home world.

* * *

 **Chapter 4 Ladies and Gentleman.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Arrival at Tenbi**

* * *

 **[Tenbi Academy, Gymnasium 9:00 AM]**

The gymnasium was filled with brimming students eagerly awaiting to not only begin the next semester, but also to take part in the many events during the **Himekagura** festival. Among them, several transfer students were bursting with confidence and hoping to be recognized by their seniors as capable element users.

Making her way up the stairs to the podium was none other than the head authority of Tenbi Academy and the principal, Minori Rokujou. Strutting past the other staff members with a hardened expression, gasps of amazement were heard among the transfer students at being able to meet the strongest woman of Tenbi Academy and the original leader of the Maken-Ki.

Minori stopped in front of the microphone, slowly turning her head to survey the large crowd of students present. Some she recognized, others were new to her and she smiled fondly at having such a large crop of new candidates to take up the gauntlet as the enforcers of the academy.

She cleared her throat and placed both of her hands on the podium, her face only inches away from the microphone.

"Well uhm, I'd like to open this announcement ceremony by first welcoming all of you back for the second semester. The school couldn't function without all of you being here so I'd like to thank you all! Especially the new transfer students, you guys rock!"

A round of applause followed Minori's opening statement, with a few students chuckling at Minori's over enthusiasm. Some things would never change.

The claps soon died down as Minori lowered her hand to shush them.

"Today, I have three important announcements I'd like to make to all of those present. First of all…" the students followed Minori's arm as she raised it and pointed over towards two individuals standing a few steps away from her. One was a tall burly man with short black hair while the other was a slender young boy with short blonde hair.

"Temporary Instructor Aomi Koshi-sensei and transfer student, Aomi Kai-Kun, will join our school as our new comrades. Also-

Before Minori could speak further, Koshi had already grabbed the microphone from the startled woman and inhaled deeply.

"Everyone! Summer may be over but we should passionately enjoy our days of youth!"

"….."

An akward silence followed the elated teacher's announcement, while Kai who was standing beside him sighed in embarrassment and face palmed.

"Aomi….Sensei…" Minori stuttered with an annoyed glare.

The man's enthusiasm could not be contained. "What!?"

"Stop screaming in my ear, you dumbass! Do you want to taste this iron fist of mine!?" She basically threatened him as she held a firm grip on his tie while he laughed nervously.

"M-My bad, I got too hot blooded…"

As Minori looked almost ready to strangle the hyperactive instructor, the attention was then directed to the other new transfer student who seemed to strike up quite well with the female students.

"Kai-Kun's kinda hot, isn't he?" A woman with brown hair mentioned to her blonde friend. Said friend nodded her head as she admired the figure of the calm and collected male student.

"He's a bit on the slender side but he's definitely up there in the looks department"

Several giggles followed those statements as Kai himself paid them no attention, wishing the blasted ceremony could be done with already.

After Minori had dealt with Koshi, she let out a heavy sigh as she grabbed the microphone back from him and turned her attention onto the students.

"I apologize for the rude interruption by that pest" She ignored the look of shock on Koshi's face at having been called a pest. "In any case, back to what I was saying; the second important announcement that I have to make is regarding the earthquake that was felt yesterday"

Several whispers and murmurs were heard among the students as some of them had their own personal concerns about the sudden earthquake. Haruko, was standing at the side along with the other members of the Maken-Ki frowned as her earlier thoughts about contacting the principal regarding the earthquake appeared to be correct.

"Quiet!" Minori's outburst seemed to work as the whispers began to die down, allowing her to continue what she was going to say.

"We've already sent an investigation team so there is nothing to be worried about. Until they return however, all students will be prohibited from entering the forest north of the academy. Only those who have permission from yours truly may leave, is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am!"

Minori smiled and nodded her head, glad to see she wouldn't have to clobber anyone who tried to defy her orders. She wasn't going to inform them on what she had seen yesterday as she even she still held her doubts on what it truly was. Hopefully, Yuuka and Sato could figure something out.

"Finally, the last piece of news I wanted to tell you all was that there was an incident with Ouken's Kamigari's chief who is currently being sought after. He's a criminal who's on the run that will be brought to justice with the combined efforts of Tenbi and Yomatsuri"

Once again, murmurs began to erupt among the students among hearing the sudden news. Yomatsuri was a branch of the government that had often made requests to Kamigari when dealing with dirty work but were never on good terms with them. The moment Ouken Yamato had perished, it already became well known that Yomatsuri were now actively attempting to find Yamato Takeru's body and deal with Kamigari once and for all. The sudden revelation of one of Kamigari's chief's suddenly going a wall was understandably shocking for most.

Standing near the entrance with her back against the wall was one of Venus Academy's top members and the self proclaimed idol of the school, Celia Ootsuka. She surveyed the troubled students with a sympathetic expression and could understand why most of them were troubled. She herself however, wasn't in the least bit taken back by the sudden news as she had heard it already from her captain.

"Celia! Have you seen Usui-kun?"

Celia turned her eyes to meet with a worried Haruko who was holding a clipboard in her hand.

"Who? Sorry, I don't have any interest in a boy that isn't Takeru-Kun"

Haruko felt her eyebrows twitch in annoyance at Celia's blunt statement regarding Take-chan…er, Takeru but she paid it no mind and placed a hand on her hips.

"Jeez, first Take-chan and now Usui-kun; both of them are going to get lectured by the principal at this rate. Just what are those two doin-wha!?"

Suddenly, a cracking sound could be heard coming a few feet away from Haruko and Celia who both jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding the concrete wall exploding behind them. Needless to say, everyone in the gymnasium turned around to gawk at the humongous woman entering through the large hole that she had made. Several other girls who were either sitting on top of the large woman's shoulders or standing beside her entered through the hole as well and leading the pack with a smug smirk plastered on her doll like face was none other than Otohime Yamato.

Minori, who was the only staff member not completely startled by the sudden turn of events was _not_ pleased that the wall to her gymnasium was busted open and face palmed.

"You better pay for that damage, building this place wasn't cheap y'know?"

Otohime brought out a handkerchief to wipe some of the dust off of her dress and face. "Who cares? It's not as if the students learn anything here anyway"

A vein popped on Minori's forehead. "What'd you say, you damn brat!"

"Hmph" Otohime huffed in a condescending manner before she placed her hands on her hips and raised her fancy looking umbrella in her hand, pointing it towards all of the startled students.

"We're here to issue a challenge!"

Right on cue, all of the gathered members of the Maken-Ki made their way forward, directly in front of Otohime and her gals with stupefied expressions.

"A challenge? What are you talking about?" Haruko expressed with confusion apparent on her face. Haruko then finally noticed who the girls were that were beside Otohime and her eyes widened in bewilderment. "Love-senpai!? What are you and the rest of the third year's doing here?"

Espada, who had taken note of Haruko's figure smiled as heavenly as possible at her. "Oh? It's been awhile Haruko, you seem to have gotten stronger and more beautiful. This knight is most pleased"

The energetic Azuki stepped forward next to Haruko. "Challenge? Screw that, let's just duke it out here and now!" she exclaimed as she punched her palm with a fist, grinning with delight at the prospect of fighting the third year students who were rumored to be unbelievably strong.

Otohime brushed a strand of her silver locks out of her hair and directed a condescending look towards the startled red head. "Can the meathead gorilla please shut her mouth? We're having a discussion with humans, not wild animals"

That got Azuki's blood going as she grinded her teeth at the insult. "What was that!?"

"Calm down Azuki-san, don't listen to what she says" Inaho who had joined the group said as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder to ease her aggression. Inaho knew how quick tempered Azuki was and getting her to think rationally would stop her from doing something she might regret.

Himegami, who was standing in the back close to Celia crossed her arms as she observed the situation, wondering what exactly was their aim to be so direct in their methods. Otohime was no fool so she was suspicious of the sudden proclamation of announcing a duel.

" _What's her aim…_ " she wondered as she stole a glance towards Celia who narrowed her gaze as well. No doubt, she must have been thinking the same thing.

"What's this you said about a duel? Go on, explain" Minori, who had gotten most of the new students who were intimidated by Otohime's group to calm down, asked.

Otohime grinned. "It's simple. The Himekagura Festival will be the stage where our team will demonstrate our superiority over your pathetic students. What I propose is a face off between Team Yamato Takeru and Team Tenbi, with both sides putting their prized『 **Hachi-Maken** 』up for grabs!"

"Eh!?" A surprised gasp escaped from Haruko's mouth at the sudden challenge while the other members of the Maken-Ki traded worried expressions between each other.

"Have you gone insane? Why would we ever agree to such a ridiculous agreement?" Minori asked as she crossed her arms with a frown. The fact that Otohime would even believe for a second they'd accept these terms was making her highly suspicious.

The silver haired girl who was still smirking as if she still held all the cards in her hand merely huffed as she jumped up and landed on Kajiru's large shoulders.

"I wasn't aware of how cowardly you all were if the agreements did not heavily favor you" She brushed her silver locks and ignored the menacing glares she was getting from several Maken-Ki members over that comment "Alright then, how about I sweaten the deal then? What if we add in the whereabouts of our beloved Yamato Takeru-sama? Will that be satisfactory?"

"Wha!?" That voice came from Minori herself who couldn't believe what she had just heard. Several of the other staff members who were standing next to her were equally as shocked, even instructor Koshi.

Kai however, who had been observing the events till now with the same bored expression he always had on smiled devilishly at Otohime's bargain. The prospect of finding out where Yamato Takeru's body was clearly intrigued the boy as his face twisted into a maniacal grin.

" _The whereabouts of Yamato Takeru_ …" Minori repeated those lines in her head as she studied Otohime along with the other third year students next to her. Obviously, the prospect of finding Yamato Takeru was an undeniable offer and obtaining the last of the four original Maken was also something to consider. However, Minori still had no intention of letting her students fight with them over it, especially considering who they were going up against.

She looked over to the members of the Maken-Ki who all looked ready to rumble at any second.

" _Ah this is no good… those idiots want to fight head on. We need to capture Otohime right now and get the information out of her"_ Minori contemplated.

As Minori reached into her pocket to contact the other staff members to surround the gymnasium, a blinding indigo light appeared underneath Otohime and her squad, taking Minori by surprise.

"What!?"

Several of the students had moved away from the light, while the Maken-Ki members stood their ground and took defensive positions just in case.

"What's going on? What's that light?" Haruko questioned as her gals also held the same thoughts.

A hardy laugh then came from the smug Otohime who merely crossed her legs while sitting on top of Kajiru. "My my, it seems you've all taken us for fools. Did you really think we wouldn't prepare a backup plan just in case you would try to capture us?"

"Tch…!" Minori clicked her tongue in annoyance at having been seen through. Damn Otohime and her perceptiveness!

"In any case, I'm confident you won't refuse our sweet offer with the addition of Yamato Takeru's whereabouts. The rules of the duel will be discussed tommorow during the festival, we'll let you handle the grunt work of setting up the events. See you tomorrow then, we'll be looking forward to a great battle"

With that, the blinding white light that had shined underneath them completely enveloped Otohime's squad and moments later, they were gone without a trace. The students still left in the gymnasium were puzzled as to what had just occurred but it was clear to the members of the Maken-Ki along with the staff that the situation at the moment was far from pleasant.

* * *

 **[Forest Outside Tenbi Academy, Earlier]**

Following the trail back to Tenbi Academy, three limousines tracked through the beautiful and serene setting of the forest. Each of the fancy and costly limousines were engraved with a lion's crest on the front, a clear indicator that they belonged to the Garret family whose crest was represented by the majestic figure of the king of beasts.

Isabella Garret, the first daughter of the Garret's and representative of the family sat with her esteemed guests in the middle limousine that was in between the limousines leading the front and rear. She glanced around the decorative room she was sitting in and examining her guests who were all filled with admiration and excitement at having been picked up in such vessel.

"I must say Garret-san, your family's wealth is quite… astonishing" Yuuka announced, still slightly in awe at how incredible the Garret's must be to have vehicles of such decor. She felt a bit jealous when comparing it to the clearly inferior style of her own Amado family.

"Yes! This limousine is really lovely!" Sato exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement and nervousness. She had never ridden in a car with such a clear showing of wealth and status before and was slightly fidgeting.

A proud smirk emerged from Isabella's face as she elegantly lifted a tea cup that was placed on a stand beside her and drank from it. "Tis nothing to be surprised about. This is only a mere fraction of our family's long list of possessions".

Both Yuuka and Sato let out sighs of amazement while a hardy laugh could be heard coming from Takeshi who was sitting on the opposite side of the girls with Nagi.

"I see you still love to brag about your daddy's hand me downs, eh Isabella? I heard your old man is quite the softie when it comes to giving his daughters what he wants"

Not a second later, the tea that Isabella had been oh so elegantly drinking came flooding out of her mouth, leaving everyone present dumbfounded by her spit take.

"T-Takeshi-sama!"

"Gahahaha! Sorry, I forgot that you didn't like someone mentioning that" Takeshi waved an apologetic hand as he continued to chuckle, clearly not regretting his decision. Nagi who was with him traded an amused grin at Takeshi's antics and then looked at Isabella, who instantly flinched at his sudden gaze.

"So, you're daddy's little princess?"

"N-No! Nagi-sama-I mean Nagi-san, I-It's not what you think!" Isabella's flustered face was showing again as her mind went into overdrive trying to change the subject off of being teased by her sensei and Nagi.

"Indeed she is, hoho!" An unfamiliar voice came from behind Isabella as the women in question glared daggers at her personal butler and the driver of the limousine, Alfred. The man had served the Garret's for generations and Isabella considered him to be her grandfather… a very nosy and embarrassing grandfather.

"Alfred!"

"Forgive me Isabella-sama, I couldn't resist" He half apologized as Isabella tried to regain her bearings, wiping her mouth with a folded napkin she had in her uniform pocket.

Yuuka and Sato giggled at Isabella's eccentric reactions, with Yuuka noticing how different Isabella was when she was with this mysterious friend of Ooyama-sensei's. She hadn't noticed it before because she was still greeting Ooyama-sensei but there was something… different about Nagi. Aside from his looks and style, Yuuka was confident that there was something that felt "unnatural" about him, especially considering she couldn't get a feel for his element level. Anyone who'd be connected to Ooyama-sensei surely must be recognizable in their own right and yet, she couldn't feel anything from him.

" _I wonder just who he is…_ " She contemplated before a tugging on her uniform from Sato snapped her out of it.

Sato looked at her friend with a worried expression. "Yuuka-san? Is everything alright?"

Not wanting her to feel the same suspicions as her, Yuuka gave the friendliest smile she could make. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking to myself, nothing to worry about"

Takeshi, who had noticed Yuuka's perceptive gaze towards Nagi frowned slightly. If he knew his Amado's as well as he think he did, Yuuka probably suspected there was something off about Nagi. While he was sure informing her that Nagi was from another world wouldn't be such a big deal in the long run, he refused to talk about it unless Nagi was alright with it. He stole a glance towards said man who only yawned in boredom at the car ride and sighed. Here he was trying to help him out and the guy was almost half asleep; what a guy.

The remaining car ride towards Tenbi Academy consisted mostly of back and forth idle chit chat between Isabella, Yuuka and Sato, with Takeshi chiming in every now and then with a joke or a question about how the school or his past students were doing.

As this was going on, Nagi remained relatively quiet through the ride, his eyes being glued to the endless sky up above. He didn't know why but there was something calming about looking at a clear blue sky; he fondly remembered how back home how he would fly for hours and just stare into the clouds, not a thought on his mind. Being born into an era of war and politics, it was one of the few things Nagi found solace in even after he had saved the world with the help of his trusted companions.

" _Master…. Jack… Arika..._ " The names of those closest to Nagi appeared in his head as he could never forget their unforgettable mugs. Whether it be his master's calm and collected face, his best friend's goofy but determined mug, or especially his wife's embarrassed but passionate smile, he missed them all. He had fought his ass off to see that smile, enduring what any normal man would deem suicidal to attempt. Nagi didn't care though; he'd do it all over again if he could just see her one more time; to see that once empty and cold expression of her's turn into the sweet beaming smile Arika showed him after he had proposed to her.

Nagi's fists subconsciously tightened themselves as he smiled to himself, getting rid of the depressing mood he was feeling earlier. He'd find a way back home no matter how long it took and it seemed that learning about these Maken could be a good step in the right direction.

* * *

 **[Tenbi Academy Entrance, Moments Later]**

Arriving at the front entrance of Tenbi Academy, the three limousines pulled up and all parked parallel from the large gate. In an instant, the bodyguards that were riding in the car had already gotten out and lined up in a row, waiting to escort their princess.

"It seems we've arrived" Isabella casually mentioned as she snapped her fingers and not a second later, the door next to her opened with a guard extending his own hand towards her.

"Please watch your step, Isabella-sama" one of the guards who was bald and wearing black shades advised as he held Isabella's delicate hand, leading her out of the vehicle.

The others soon followed and easy enough, all of them were standing in front of the limousines, facing the professional bodyguards.

Both Sato and Yuuka bowed respectfully while Takeshi gave a curt nod, not a full bow as the guards were fully aware of Takeshi's position as Isabella's instructor. Nagi however, didn't bother doing either and just waved his hand casually at her.

"Thanks for the ride, Isa"

Several annoyed glares came from numerous guards who couldn't believe how disrespectful this unknown man was being towards their princess but they all held baffled expressions as Isabella smiled sweetly at the man.

"Of course, it's no trouble at all. I do hope that it was to your pleasing?" She asked that with much more enthusiasm than anyone there could have expected.

Nagi half grinned. "Yea, it was pretty comfortable. Not a fan of all that decorative crap but the view was cool. Let me ride it in again sometime"

"Y-Yes! Anytime you'd like and I can have it arranged!" She was practically beaming with joy as all of her guards were flabbergasted at their princess's sudden change in behavior. Where the hell did their steadfast and collected princess go?

Alfred on the other hand held a fascinated gaze over at the two of them as he was able to immediately tell that his princess was quite smitten with this young man.

"That young man… he's quite exceptional"

"Huh? What do you mean, Alfred-san?" One of the other bodyguards questioned, with several others having the same train of thought.

Alfred just ignored their pleas for an explanation and studied the man closer. Not only did he have the physique and posture of a well trained fighter, he was obviously someone with enough conviction to speak with someone of Takeshi Oyama-sama's reputation without any form of formality. Takeshi was also noticeably comfortable in this man's presence as well, being much more talkative than usual during the many times he had visited him when his princess came to train. Yes, there was something definitely about Nagi that seemed to charm others to his presence, whether that be his laid back personality or clearly the man's god send looks that had his princess tongue tied.

" _I wonder…_ " He held that thought in his mind before shaking his head and calling out to his princess, bowing in the process. "Isabella-sama, we'll be taking our leave now. Have a wonderful first day of school".

The other bodyguards bowed as well to show their devotion as Isabella smiled at them and nodded, turning to follow the others.

Yuuka, realizing that it was important to report back to the principal quickly, bowed towards Takeshi, Nagi, and Isabella.

"Forgive me but I must speak with the principal and report to her that nothing is amiss in the forest near the Oyama Dojo. Sato, why don't you escort Lady Isabella here to the gymnasium where the opening ceremony should still be taking place?"

"R-Right! Leave it to me!" Sato exclaimed happily as she grabbed Isabella's hands and began dragging her off.

"Eh? B-But hold on! What about…?" Isabella asked as she was still being led by Sato and turned her head to Nagi and Takeshi.

"Don't worry about them, you can meet them again later after the ceremony. Now come on! We'll be late, Isabella-san!"

"…I understand" She said somewhat disappointingly that she was unable to continue walking with her sensei and Nagi. However, she didn't want to be known as a tardy student on her first day so she endured and let Sato take her to the gymnasium.

Back with Takeshi and Nagi, the latter stared up at the school with mild curiosity as he examined the numerous stalls being set up but lack of any students in sight.

"Was there some sort of rapture that happened?" He asked with faint amusement.

"No dummy, it's around this time that they host the Hime-Kagura festival at Tenbi. It gets pretty wild around this season"

Nagi shot him a confused look. "Hime-what? You're gonna have to explain that one to me, old man"

Takeshi, sighing at Nagi's ignorance, started walking forward. "I'll explain while we tour the school. We'll go swing by Minori's office after that"

Following him, Nagi placed both of his hands in his pockets and walked beside Takeshi who was admiring the preparation work. "So, you said you've got junior here that crafts these Maken things?"

Takeshi nodded. "That's right. Gen was a part of the original Maken-Ki, a group that was and still is the enforcement committee of the school a way's back. He always had a talent for being able to create suitable Maken's for anyone"

"Are these Maken really that great? I've never seen one before so you can't blame me for being skeptical"

"Hah!" Takeshi huffed. "Oh trust me; Maken's are the real deal. You can't hope to battle the strongest element users in this world without one. Well, that is unless of course you're like me who doesn't need them to be all sorts of badass"

Nagi still held his skeptical gaze. "You _do_ remember that I'm the one who whopped your ass, right?"

A humiliating silence followed Takeshi as he refused to speak further on the matter, not able to retract his claim. Damn, he'd knew he was going to bring that up later.

"Well, it doesn't matter to me. I'm more interested in knowing if these Maken are capable of dimensional travel"

"Looking for a way to return back home already, huh?"

Nagi frowned. "Obviously, you can't expect me to do nothing but tour some random school while I'm here, can you?"

Takeshi couldn't deny that logic as he stroked his well trimmed beard. "Fair enough, but do know that what you seek might not be here. There's no guarantee that a Maken will be capable of sending you back"

Nagi didn't even flinch as a devilish smirk appeared on his face. "Then I'll just have to search this entire damn planet until I find it. I've got time"

" _Such conviction… he must have left someone important back there, I can feel it_. _Perhaps it's that niece he was talking about?_ " Takeshi theorized, hoping to peg more into Nagi's life and discover more about the traveler from another world.

"Heh, you've got one hell of a road before you. Well, before you go off on some crazy journey, relax and let's enjoy this festival for now. I can't wait for my cute juniors to meet you; I wonder what kind of expressions they'll make? Gahahaha!"

Nagi looked at Takeshi as if he had a screw loose, wondering why he cared so much about him meeting his friends. Not caring or wanting to make sense of his mind, Nagi continued to follow Takeshi around the school until something far in the distance caught his eye. He stopped abruptly and squinted his eyes to make sure they weren't playing tricks on him before he confirmed it was no illusion and moved towards it, leaving Takeshi still believing he was talking someone.

* * *

 **[A Tree Near Tenbi Academy Front Gate]**

" _This is troubling..._ " Lost deep in thought, Kodama Himegami stood upside down, hanging from the branch of a tree as she ignored the worried pleas of her shikigami's.

"Ojou, it isn't good for you to think so much..." Her fire Shikigami, Kagezuchi spoke.

"Ojou needs to stop thinking, it doesn't suit her" Igazuchi, her lightning spirit stated with his usual neutral expression.

Usually, Himegami would punish the two dearly for such sly insults but at the moment, she wasn't in the mood for such trivial things. No, the matter that had her mind most occupied was Otohime and the former third year students that followed her. Himegami didn't know much about them since she was still a first year when they were third years at Tenbi but she was worried about their reputation as the four strongest maiden's of the school, well at least previously. She was confident that with her friends, they'd be able to defeat them... they just had too! Yamato Takeru needed to be stopped and knowing his whereabouts before he's recovered will be instrumental in his defeat.

"We'll defeat you, Yamato Takeru!" She announced to no one in particular, not noticing the crimson eyes looking down on her from the same branch she stood on.

"Who's that?"

"..."

Not just Kodama, both of her shikigami were stunned into silence at the voice of an unfamiliar person and she slowly raised her head to meet his eyes, momentarily gasping as she took in his noticeable appearance.

"Who... are you?"

Nagi merely continued to stare at her, his deep crimson eyes penetrating into Himegami's soul as she found herself a bit nervous and hypnotized under the man's hawk eye gaze. Unexpectedly, a light blush appeared on her cheeks at the charming smile the man produced with his stunning face.

"You know, everyone can see your panties if you hang upside down like that. Not that I'm complaining."

"Huh?" It took a second before Himegami realized what kind of view she was giving him before an flush of red covered her entire face.

"Kya!"

She lost her balance and fell to the ground, landing on her head with a loud thump as her shikigami quickly rushed to her side.

"Ojou, are you okay!?" Kagezuchi asked worriedly while Igazuchi looked just as worried.

"Ouch..." Himegami slowly got up as she rubbed her aching head before looking up to meet the smiling face of the man who got a full view of her panties. She didn't know who this guy was or where he came from but the crime of seeing her in such an embarrassing state could only be punished by death!

"Y-You, just who the heck are you!?" She pointed at him with slight tears in her eyes, still a bit soar from the fall she succumbed too.

Nagi, who was far too amused with that scene just now than he should be, stopped smiling and laid back against the tree while placing his hands on his knee. "The name's Nagi, and you are?"

"Nagi? Are you a new student here? I've never seen you around before" There's no way someone with Nagi's looks could be a student here and not be well known. Himegami was not a person who really cared all that much about appearances but even she couldn't deny how handsome he was, even making Akaya Kodai, the resident pretty boy look pretty meek in comparison.

"A student? Sorry love, I'm just visiting this place with some old guy."

Now Himegami was a bit confused at what a person who wasn't a student nor a teacher was doing here; he even just admitted he was visiting the place! He'd have to know someone pretty high up around here like Minori to just "visit' this school. Perhaps he was associated with Otohime and Kamigari? Or maybe he was just an old friend of one of the teacher's coming to see the Himekagura festival? Himegami needed to know!

Regaining her former composure, Himegami glared at Nagi, as if sizing him up and pointed at him. "What have you come here for if you are not a student?"

Nagi looked at the now composed Himegami and gave her a look as if he was speaking to an imbecile. "Huh? Didn't I just say that I'm here to visit? You're not too bright are you?"

"What!" Himegami's short fuse was unleashed at the rather rude remark and her shikigami were ready to pounce on this man for insulting their princess.

"Just give the order ojou! We'll barbecue him!" Kagezuchi declared as he ignited both his arms with fire.

"Mhm, he must know the price of insulting you, Ojou" Igazuchi agreed as lightning sparks came from his fingers.

Truth be told, Himegami wanted to teach him a lesson but restrained herself as she didn't want to make a bad impression on a friend of one of the staff members. This wasn't Usui or Takeru who were both shameful perverts, attacking someone like him thoughtlessly could be bad.

"Listen, I have no intention of harming you in any way, I just-

"You talk like you could actually harm me, shrimp"

That was it.

"How dare you! Kagezuchi! Igazuchi! Teach him some proper manners!" She commanded her shikigami who wasted no time making a b-line for Nagi who remained motionless while laying back against the tree.

Himegami smiled contently. " _This'll be quick, he probably can't even see those two. I'll have them hold back a little so he's not in too bad of a condition. Go!"_

"Heh, peace of cake!" Kagezuchi shouted as he pulled his fist back to punch Nagi straight in the face with his fire covered arms.

"Prepare to suffer!" Igazuchi announced, sparks of lightning in both hands as he was mere moments away from him.

Nagi, who was still laying back against the tree yawned in a bored tone as he watched the slow figures of two pint sized spirits come after him. Was this supposed to be a Maken or something? To summon little pixie spirits to help fight? Aw well, might as well crush em, he thought as he raised his hand.

Both Igazuchi and Kagezuchi had made it towards Nagi's face and shouted with all of their might.

"Eat thi-Pueeeeehhhhh!?"

Faster than Himegami or anyone could perceive, the astral bodies of Igazuchi and Kagezuchi were sent spiraling backwards and hit the ground behind Himegami with a large thud. The girl herself hadn't even realized what had happened until moments later, she sensed them behind her and frantically turned around to see her precious shikigami spirits laid out on the dirt, clearly unconscious with dizzy marks in their eyes.

"What just... how in the..." She was at a complete loss of words. One moment her spirits were on the attack and the next, they're lying face first in the ground! She swiftly turned her head back around as her eyes went wide at witnessing Nagi having his index finger outstretched while still laying back against the tree.

"Whoops, guess I used a little too much force" Was all he said as he stood up and dusted himself off. He didn't know what what kind of Maken those things were but they clearly weren't what he was looking for so he lost interest. He looked back in the direction of where he had left Takeshi and assumed the old guy noticed he was gone by now.

" _Might as well head back..._ "

"Well, that was a somewhat disappointing encounter, but it was kinda fun seeing a Maken. Try not to stand upside down anymore, unless you want more guys to see your panties. See you around, shrimp"

"W-Wait!" Himegami called out but before her voice could reach him, his body had already vanished as several falling leaves swayed to the ground from the branch he was standing on.

Himegami searched around in every direction but was unable to locate him. She eventually gave up and held the defeated spirits of her Maken, unable to accept how easily they were beaten. If what she saw wasn't a dream, then her shikigami's were both defeated with a single flick to both of their foreheads! Even if they weren't in their true forms, that's not something anyone could just do. She couldn't even sense a shred of element within that man, which made her assume he was a civilian without powers. It didn't even occur to her that sneaking up behind her without her spirits noticing him was something a normal person would be unable to do.

"Just who in the world was he..." She couldn't tell if he was an enemy or not judging based on appearances or motives, all she knew was that he was connected to "some old guy" who must be pretty important to Tenbi. That didn't leave many options truthfully but she'd discover who the identity of that man was, one way or another and make him regret seeing her panties along with calling her a shrimp. He was going to pay!

* * *

 **Another one bites the dust. Tell me your thoughts.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: To The Principal's Office!**

* * *

 **[Minori's Office, After the Ceremony]**

Sighing as she sat on the couch in her office with her legs crossed and perfectly comfortable back in her trademark track suit was Minori Rokujou, who was a little less than pleased with how the events of the opening ceremony had turned out.

The ordeal involving Otohime and her squad of third years challenging Tenbi Academy was already the talk of the school only minutes after it occurred in the gymnasium. One the ceremony concluded, Minori sent most of the students to their own respective classrooms to start preparing for the festival that was scheduled to begin tomorrow.

The duel between Team Tenbi and Team Yamato Takeru was something Minori didn't believe Otohime was going to play fair in but didn't have much of a choice but to accept. That being said, Minori had taken precautions just in case something went wrong and ordered Tomika Amado, Yuuka's older sister and a a close friend who was also a member of the original Maken Ki to try and find any remaining remnants of the transmission barrier Otohime had used.

"Tomika's tracking skills are first rate so why can't we find any damn leads!" Minori couldn't contain her frustration as she pounded her fist into the couch. Barriers made of elements always leave a trail, no matter how small, so it didn't make sense as to why they couldn't find a damn lead on their whereabouts!

" _Could_ _she have prepared some sort of counter barrier to prevent us from tracking her? Damn, we don't have enough information to work with"_ Tenbi was already stretched thin with the entire business regarding Kamigari and even Yomatsuri, a section of the government were having troubles due to a lack of available agents. Everyone was on the hunt for Yamato Takeru so it didn't come as much of a surprise that they were short on man power.

On that subject, the new generation of the Maken-Ki were the only available resources Minori could use and ordered the majority of them to be on standby. There were a few objections to her order, such as Takeru Oyama wanting to be put on the investigation team immediately but Minori straightened that stubborn fool out with her trusty left hook. She glanced up at the ceiling where his head had been dangling from after she upper cut him and awkwardly laughed, wondering if she had gone too far. Aw well, no point regretting it now.

Suddenly, a knock could be heard coming from her office door and a sweet voice followed. "Excuse me principal"

Minori, who recognized that it was Yuuka, sighed in relief. "Come on in"

The door opened wide and from it, Yuuka had walked in with her eyes closed as usual and gracious smile plastered on her face. She bowed respectfully to Minori who smirked contently at seeing her student again. "I have returned"

Minori nodded, absently wondering why Kim wasn't with Yuuka. "Excellent work, what'd you guys find?"

"Yes. Kim-san and I arrived at the coordinates you gave us which led us to the Oyama Dojo. We surveyed the area for any signs of the disturbance you spoke of but in the end, there were no traces of anything regarding the strange phenomenon you mentioned"

"I see…" Minori put a hand to her chin and looked deep in thought, several doubts filling her head on the subject.

"Also" Yuuka continued as she drew Minori's attention back towards her. "Takeshi Oyama, the owner of the dojo has come to visit the academy along with a guest of his".

"Sensei's coming here!?" That was something that Minori hadn't expected as she sprang up with a baffled expression.

"Y-Yea..." Yuuka hesitatingly nodded, noting how excited her principal had become at the news of her former teacher returning. "He should be somewhere on the school campus along with the guest I spoke of"

Minori sat back down with a cheery smile and crossed her legs. "Sensei's really here huh? What a surprise! It's been such a long time, how is he doing?"

"He seemed to be doing fine and was quite talkative, especially when he was with that guest of his"

Minori raised her eyebrows at the mention of her sensei's acquaintance, someone who made sensei even more talkative than usual."A guest? Was it an old friend of his or something?"

Yuuka pouted slightly as she cocked her head. "Hmm, that's hard to say. Oyama-sensei did claim that he's an old friend from overseas but in my opinion, he looked far too young to be considered Oyama-sensei's old friend. Not only that but…" She trailed off as she said that which earned Minori's curiosity.

"But what?"

Yuuka thought about it for a minute before she shook her head and put on her usual smile. "Oh nothing, it's not worth mentioning. Shall I get them for you, principal?"

Though Minori wasn't completely convinced and wondered what Yuuka had meant by the last part of her statement, she let it go for now and shook her head. "No need, if its sensei he'll make his way up here eventually. I want you to go help organize the festival and set things up for the bout between us and Otohime."

Yuuka's expression slightly darkened. "Otohime? So she's returned…"

Minori grimly nodded. "Yea and she's brought one hell of a mess with her. Go speak with the other Maken Ki members who are on standby, they'll fill you in on what you missed".

"I understand"

As Minori nodded, believing that was all she had to say towards Yuuka, she just remembered a question that had been on her mind. "By the way, where's Kim?"

"After we returned to the school, I asked her to escort a new transfer student to the opening ceremony. I assume she'll make her way over towards Aki-sensei to have the new student's element tested before reporting back here"

"Got it, tell Kim that she's also done a wonderful job""

Yuuka nodded. "Understood, then if you'll excuse me" she bowed before turning around and began her exit out of the room. "Oh, by the way principal" she was right in between the door as she took one last look towards the startled Minori.

"What's up?"

"That guest of Oyama-sensei's... there's something off about him. Just a heads up"

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

The feisty principal wasn't going to get any more answers as Yuuka chose to close the door behind her, leaving Minori to wonder what on earth she was talking about. Minori inclined her head backwards and looked at the ceiling, pondering over todays' events.

"So, there was nothing to report huh?" Minori then narrowed her eyes "But I know what I saw…"

Minori could never forget the breath taking scene she had witnessed yesterday. It had edged itself into her mind as she recalled the sheer magnitude of raw power that whatever the black hole had summoned possessed when it crash landed. She still couldn't believe that Yuuka and Kim had come up empty, the shockwave of that landing could be felt from here for pete's sake! There should at least have been a huge crater or something!

Minori shook her head as she looked over towards an old photo that was hung on the wall; a picture of herself, Aki, Akaya, Gen, and Tomika along with their sensei, Takeshi. Some of Minori's fondest memories included all of them, especially Takeshi-sensei whom she respected like a father and was very grateful towards as his training methods allowed her to become as strong as she was now.

"Heh, I wonder if sensei is still a perv?" She said amusedly, recalling how her sensei had gained a pretty infamous reputation for harassing female students by slapping their butts or "accidentally" bumping into their breasts. How many times had she had gotten complaints from the students about it? How many times had she been forced to drop kick him away from the troubled girls? Oh, what wonderful memories.

Minori's mind then wandered to what Yuuka had mentioned earlier; the "guest" that her sensei had apparently brought with him. She knew several of his old acquaintances, some of them not by choice, but they were all either his former students or those from Yomatsuri that held a strictly business relationship with him. The fact that Yuuka mentioned Takeshi-sensei being more "talkative" raised some questions in her head. Not only that but Yuuka seemed troubled when she was going to speak further about this mystery person and claimed there was something "off" about him.

Just what did that mean?

" _Agh, I'm dying to know who it is. Could it perhaps be a secret lover? Wait no, Yuuka mentioned it was a male... well whatever; I'll greet sensei and his guest when they get here. Oh! I should call Aki and Gen so we can have a reunion! I'll need to get some booze!"_ Minori could hardly wait as the stress of dealing with Otohime and her girls had seriously cut into her drinking time.

In any case, worrying about it now was pointless as she was just going to have to be patient to meet this "guest".

* * *

 **[Tenbi Academy, Near the Gymnasium]**

"It seems we were too late…"

Standing at the entrance of the gymnasium was Isabella Garret who had a troubled expression on her face at being unable to attend the opening ceremony. Next to Isabella, Kimmy Sato who had been ordered to escort her looked very displeased as she looked around the now empty gym. Her eyes then wandered over to a section of the gymnasium where there was a giant hole, as if someone had broken right through it.

"What happened here…?" Her voice had traces of nervousness within it at wondering what had gone down while they were away.

Isabella looked quite serious. "Could there have been an incident? Where's the principal?"

"I'll go speak with her about it! Isabella may I ask you too-

"Ah, its Kim-san!" A sweet but energetic voice came from nearby and both Kim and Isabella turned their heads to see the bubbly Inaho running towards them, waving her arms with a giant smile on her face.

"Ah, Inaho-san. Do you know what happened here?" Kim asked as Inaho had just made it over.

"You weren't at the ceremony? Otohime caused some trouble again and the principal ordered everyone back to class to prepare for the festival"

"I-Is that true? So she's come back…" Kim expressed worriedly, recalling the last time they had taken on Otohime and the Yamato family.

"Don't worry! We'll face them head on and win no matter what!" Inaho exclaimed as she pumped her fist into the air. She then smiled when her pep rally was able to lighten Kim's mood but turned her attention to the pretty looking girl standing next to her, cocking her head to the side. "Is this a friend of yours?"

Kim nodded. "Yes, this is a new transfer student; Isabella Garret".

Isabella responded by bowing her head towards Inaho, whom she immediately assumed was also a part of the enforcement committee. "It's a pleasure to meet you"

Inaho's bright smile appeared as she extended her hand. "Likewise! I'm Inaho Kushiya, let's get along, Isabella-san!"

Isabella didn't delay in grabbing it and smiled at her. "I'd very much like that"

"Jeez, where'd that brat run off?"

The three of them swiftly turned their heads to see none other than Takeshi Oyama walking towards the gymnasium with an irritated frown.

"Oji-sama!" Inaho beamed joyfully as she ran towards him.

Takesh had noticed the young Inaho approaching him and a sly grin appeared on his face. "Oh! Long time no see, Inaho"

She stopped right in front of him and was clearly excited beyond words that Takeru's father, who had taken care of her since she was little, was here at her school. "It has been a long time! What are you doing here?"

"Can't this handsome father visit his cute little students every now and then? Especially you Inaho, look at how adorable you've become" He patted her head gently, a common gesture that he had done to her that would always make her smile.

Kim and Isabella had already made their way towards the duo and bowed once again towards Takeshi.

Takeshi noticed the empty gymnasium behind them as he stopped petting Inaho. "You guys missed the opening ceremony?"

The dejected Kim slumped at those words. "Indeed"

"It looked as if something unexpected happened though; we were going to ask the principal about it" Isabella declared.

Takeshi looked interested from that piece of news as he brought a hand to his chin. "Unexpected you say? Sounds like things are really heating up around here. After I find that idiot Nagi, I'll be heading over to Minori's office"

"Find? Now that you mention it, where is Nagi-san?" Isabella had just noticed that Nagi wasn't with Takeshi-sensei even though minutes earlier, they were just together.

Takeshi shrugged. "Who knows, I took my eyes off him for a second and poof, he's gone. He probably just went to look around the festival"

Isabella nodded as she could understand Nagi's curiosity towards seeing the festival.

Inaho was the only one who had no idea who this "Nagi" was as she turned to Takeshi. "Hey Oji-sama, who's this Nagi? Is he a friend of yours?"

Takeshi nodded. "Ah, he's an old acquaintance of mine" He lied through his teeth as he was sure telling the others Nagi was from another world wasn't the best idea, at least not yet. "I'll introduce him too you once I find him, I'm sure you'll get along"

The idea of meeting someone who was an old friend of Takeshi Oji-sama thrilled Inaho as she practically jumped up and down. "Yes!"

Takeshi then turned to Kim and Isabella. "Don't you both have things to attend too? I'll speak with Minori about the incident regarding the gym so you girls can get back to the festival"

Kim expressed her gratitude as she bowed. "T-Thanks a lot, Oyama-sensei! I'll leave it to you!" She then grabbed Isabella's arm in the same manner as before and dragged her off. "Let's go Isabella-san, we need to get you examined by Aki-sensei for your element and then placed in a classroom"

Isabella wasn't sure what she meant but assumed those terms were relatively important and dutifully nodded her head. "I understand. Takeshi-sensei, I'll be taking my leave. Uhm, please tell Nagi-san that I said hello" she was unable to hide the slight red tint in her cheeks as Takeshi smirked.

"You got it, now get going"

After Seeing the two of them off, Takeshi then turned to his precious foster daughter.

"You don't have anything to do?" Takeshi asked.

Inaho nodded. "All of the Maken-Ki are on full alert and I'm on watch duty just in case Otohime and her group show up again. This works best for me because I can tour the festival all I want!"

"That sounds perfect for you. Now where is that damn Nagi…?"

"You called?"

"Bwah!" Takeshi jumped right out of his yukahta as he backed up and gripped his beating heart that sounded as if it was going to explode. He looked towards the figure of Nagi who waved at him with that mischievous smile on his face.

"Don't scare me like that!"

"Not my fault you're a scaredy cat"

"Why you..!" Takeshi retorted as he grumbled towards the chuckling Nagi, ignoring the star gazed Inaho who was staring between them. Rubbing his head to conceded defeat, Takeshi sighed before turning to Inaho to properly introduce her.

"Well ignoring that, Inaho, this is my old acquaintance. His name is Nagi, say hello"

Nagi just lazily waved his hand towards her. "Sup"

"….."

Both of them awkwardly waited as Inaho continued to stare at Nagi with her mouth wide open and her eyes glued to the crimson haired man as if she was in some sort of daze. Takeshi scratched his head in confusion and he waved his hand between her eyes.

"Uhm, earth to Inaho?"

There was still no response from the star gazed teen.

Nagi raised an eyebrow at such odd behavior before turning to the equally confused Takeshi. "What's up with her?"

Takeshi was hard pressed to answer Nagi's question as he shrugged. "Beats me, she's always been kinda weird".

Nagi turned back to her and decided to put an end to this stare down. "Oi, anyone in there?"

Inaho still couldn't respond as her mouth was hanging wide open and her eyes hadn't even blinked in the past few minutes.

This was starting to get on Nagi's nerves as an annoyed twitch came from his eyebrows as he couldn't stand someone staring at him for so long and he walked right up to Inaho, pinching her soft looking cheeks in the process.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" She yelled responsively as Nagi tugged on her cheeks as if she was made out of play dough. Nagi finally let go of her now throbbing red cheeks and Inaho rubbed them gently with tears in her eyes as she glared at Nagi.

"W-What was that for!" Though it was meant to come off as an angry proclamation, there were still traces of Inaho's cutesy voice that sounded too adorable to take serious.

"You were just standing there staring at me; it was annoying" Nagi stated bluntly, not looking the least bit sorry for what he had done.

"T-That's because…." Inaho now found herself slightly flustered as her cheeks reddened at recalling how shocked she had been at meeting someone of Nagi's stature. Could you really blame her though? When she first laid eyes upon him, she assumed he was some sort of huge movie star! I mean, he couldn't not be a famous person with how handsome he was.

"Aw, are you okay my sweet Inaho?" Takeshi tried to comfort her as he patted her head.

Inaho pouted a bit before she came to enjoy Takeshi's petting and got over her earlier frustration at having her cheeks pinched. "O-Oji-sama's petting is still the best".

Nagi looked at the exchange with a puzzled expression. "What are you two, a cat and its owner?"

"That's…. not actually far from the truth" Takeshi admitted as he continued to stroke Inaho's head who in response, purred like a cat and enjoyed it. As his point was proven, Nagi could only sigh in amusement before he walked right up to Inaho who flinched immediately and was on guard. He reached out and as Inaho closed her eyes, scared of being pinched again, her eyes widened in amazement when she felt Nagi's hand on her head in a similar fashion to Takeshi's but was noticeably different. She slowly raised her head to match his eyes and found herself flustered as she took in his charming smile.

"Since you're a cat, it's alright if I pet you too right?"

"Uh-huh…" Inaho was barely able to respond to that as she was still fixated on Nagi's incredible petting technique that rivaled-no! Even surpassed that of Takeshi's!

"Hoh…" Takeshi hummed in amazement at seeing even Inaho taken with Nagi. He had expected this situation some way or another but even he was tenderly surprised at seeing how Nagi was able to worm his way into even Inaho's heart despite only meeting her minutes ago. Having said that, Takeshi was still aware of how Inaho felt towards his son but was interested in seeing how long that would last with Nagi around.

After Nagi had let go of Inaho's head who pouted, clearly disappointed that it was over, he looked at Takeshi. "Yo old man, shouldn't we go visit that Minori girl now? You said she was one of your students right?"

Takeshi nodded affirmatively. "Yea that's right; she's the principal now so we should swing by her office. We've got quite a lot to talk about, but letting her meet you is still something I'm looking forward to seeing" He smiled less than innocently after finishing that sentence.

Nagi narrowed his eyes suspiciously "Sounds fishy to me…"

Not a moment later, his trademark grin appeared again as he threw both his arms behind his back. "Aw what the hell, I'll bite".

Takeshi produced a hardy laugh before he grabbed Nagi's shoulder. "That's the spirit!" He then turned to Inaho. "We'll be going to visit the principal now; you still have your job to watch over the school right?"

Inaho nodded vigorously towards Takeshi's claim. "Yes! Under the principal's orders, I'll be trying my best to keep on alert for any enemy activity!"

Nagi was amused by her enthusiasm and chuckled, causing Inaho to swiftly steal a glance at him. "Keep it up then, Kitten. We'll see you later"

"Y-Yes! I'm looking forward to that! W-Wait no, I-I didn't mean it like that…ah" Inaho realized what she had just said and blushed embarrassingly, causing both Takeshi and Nagi to laugh out loud. It really was adorable how much enthusiasm she put into everything. The two then turned around and walked towards the front entrance that would lead them into the inner building.

Inaho was left at the scene with many questions on her mind, the biggest being, just who was that man that her foster uncle brought with him. She thought he was a movie star or something but that didn't seem to be the case, at least that's not what her gut was telling her.

She then slowly reached to the top of her head and recalled the petting he had given her, still not believing how someone could have a better technique than her foster uncle who had done it for years.

" _His petting technique_ … _I want Nagi-kun to pet me again_ " She let those thoughts leak out of her mind as she stood there, watching the figures of her uncle and mysterious new friend head into the school.

It only occurred to Inaho a few minutes later at the way Nagi had addressed her and she titled her head to the side with a innocent frown. "Kitten?"

* * *

 **[Tenbi Academy, Main Hallway]**

The hallways were filled with students running around. trying to organize each of their own respective classrooms in preparation for the Himekagura Festival. Each class had to decide on a theme that they would follow for how they served customers and everyone was racing to buy materials to make whatever theme they chose a reality.

"Man, I can't believe we got stuck on garbage duty" Usui Kengo, a member of the Maken Ki and Himegami's hopeless suitor complained as he stumbled forward while carrying two large bags full of used materials.

"Well, we were late to the opening ceremony so I don't think we can complain" Takeru Oyama, also a member of the Maken Ki and a man many hated and envied due to his relationship with Haruko retorted as he too struggled to carry a large load of garbage.

After they had arrived at the opening ceremony and were chewed out by the principal for being extremely late, they were basically stripped of their rights and forced to act as garbage men for their classrooms as punishment. Kai Kuragasa, who was also with them was forgiven due to having the excuse of living off of campus during the summer so it took him longer to arrive to school.

"Damn that Kai, he should have gone down with us like a man!" Usui stated.

Takeru was not of the same opinion. "Can we really call ourselves men looking like this?"

They both looked at each other and sighed, continuing their trip down the hall that would take them to the garbage disposal room. They passed several classrooms and snuck peaks at some of the other theme's other classes were doing. One of the classes were doing a "Summer Beach" theme were the girls had to only wear bleach clothing, which included loose string bikinis, hot pants, and of course, one piece swim suits. To say the boys were elated enough that their noses were pouring red like a fountain would be a grave understatement.

After getting their fill of half naked high school girls, they passed a corner and walked down a narrow hallway where Takeru had put on a serious frown. "Hey, Usui"

Usui, still thinking about the beautiful girls he just saw, barely registered Takeru calling him. "Hehehe, hm?"

"That bitch Otohime… do you really think she'll tell us where Takeru Yamato is being kept?"

It was Usui's turn to drop his perverted mood and stare at his friend with a troubled expression. "Otohime? I doubt it; she's not the type to play by the book. It wouldn't surprise me if this entire duel was some sort of trap"

Takeru nodded in agreement, remembering the awful things that Otohime had done on the summer island.

"But it's not like we have a choice" Usui continued as he rubbed the back of his head. "If we're going to go up against Kamigari anyway, its better we fight them now and try to capture her if they don't plan on taking us too that bastard's hiding place if we win"

"If? You don't think we have a good shot at beating those girls who were with Otohime?" Takeru wondered as he recalled the four distinctive high school girls that Otohime had brought with her.

"That's hard to say. I don't know much about them but I know they all carry at least one of the original Hachi-Maken. No matter what, they won't go down easy"

"Even still…" Takeru clenched his fist tightly as he steeled himself for the battle to come. In his eventual bout against that mad man, Takeru believed that only he could take Yamato on and resolved himself to make him pay for what he had done towards his friends, especially Himegami. Calling her nothing but a doll was going too far and he owed that bastard another beat down.

Suddenly, Takeru felt someone had placed a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to see Usui smiling at him.

"Don't worry Takeru, there's no way we won't win"

"Usui…you…"

Usui then gave Takeru a thumbs up and his genuine smile morphed into a perverted grin. "Because when we do, I'll confess my love for Himegami-senpai and make her mine!"

"….."

Takeru's blank face stared at the idealistic Usui who still held perverted thoughts even in such a situation. Sighing, Takeru could only pray his friend would come to realize his dream was a long way's off.

Passing another corner, both Takeru and Usui momentarily stopped when they saw a stream of both male and female students crowding the hallways. The guys were making some huge fuss and were in total awe while the girls were squealing and looked as if they were star struck.

"W-What's going on over there?" Takeru asked.

"Only one way to find out!" Usui shouted as he ran forward, throwing the garbage bags to the side.

"W-Wait up!" Takeru followed him in pursuit as he too threw his garbage aside, the consequences be damned as he made his way through the crowd to find out what was going on.

As the two finally made it past their eighteenth student, who had slapped Usui for "accidentally" grabbing her butt in the commotion, they both took witness of two individuals who were walking through the crowd of students and were clearly the center of attention. Takeru's eyes widened in astonishment at recognizing one of the individuals while Usui's radar for detecting men that were better looking than himself went off the charts at the other one.

"Would you look at the attention we're getting? It must be all for me, gahahaha!" That hardy voice came from Takeshi Oyama as he walked forward with his hand on his chin, trying to look as dashing as possible for the ladies.

"I-Isn't that former Tenbi Instructor, Takeshi Oyama-sensei!?" one of the male students shouted.

"Y-Yea it is! Wow, to meet such a legend here!" another one agreed as he was clearly a huge fan of Takeshi's and had heard of the man's reign in Tenbi where the school's graduates of his generation were considered the best in history.

"You think I can get his autograph!?" a tall boy in the back asked, who despite being even taller than his object of worship, felt as if his entire existence was nothing compared to his idol.

On the female side, the girls were completely ignoring Takeshi and focused on the crimson haired youth walking next to him with his hands in his pockets and was wearing a fashionable brown shredded cape.

"Oh my god, who is that!?" a brown haired girl asked.

"Kyaa! He's gorgeous!" a green haired girl followed as her flushed cheeks did little to hide her attraction to the young man.

"Is he a new teacher here? What class will be teaching! Someone find out!" A purple haired woman with glasses declared as several other girls began to spread the word.

"Shouldn't these kids be in class?" Nagi mentioned with a neutral expression, not even the slightest bit fazed by the attention as he continued forward.

"Hah! It's to be expected, who could study when someone of my great stature enters these buildings?" Takeshi was soaking in all of the attention and waved to a couple of the girls who he still believed were entranced with him.

Nagi nudged Takeshi with his elbow, causing the older man to grunt at him. "What's so great about an old man who likes high school girls?"

"Shut up! Being able to admire these young girls as they blossom into bombshells is a duty for all men!" Takeshi retorted passionately.

Nagi deadpanned at him before sighing. "…It's getting harder for me to believe you were married…"

As the two continued forward, their attention was directed at a pair of two male students who had made their way to the front of the crowd.

Takeshi's eyes flinched when he took in the figure of his own son and he stopped, causing Nagi to stop as well who shot him a confused look. "What's up?"

On Takeru's side, he walked forward with Usui and stopped as well when he was only a few steps away from his father whom he hadn't seen in years.

"Pops…"

"Takeru…"

To outside lookers, the tension between the father and son duo was enough to silence all those present, except for Nagi who looked a bit surprised. "He called you pops… you mean this brat's your kid?"

Takeshi didn't respond as he took a few steps forward towards the nervous Takeru who wasn't sure how he would face his father again after leaving home the way he did. Their relationship had been ripped apart after the death of Takeru's mother, a wound that Takeru never healed from and he blamed Takeshi for her death for not protecting her as a husband should. Even though now that Takeru was old enough now to understand it wasn't his father's fault for what happened, the memory still plagued him but he wanted to repair the bond between them, if only just a little.

Just when Takeru thought his father was going to smack him, he spread both his arms wide and grabbed the startled Takeru, lifting him up and cuddling the exasperated boy.

"Takeru! It's good to see you my boy! Look at you, when'd you get to be so cool looking!" Takeshi's childish praise caused everyone around them to be baffled by the older man's reaction.

"S-Stop it, let me go!" Takeru struggled to break free from his father's hardened grip as he winced at the older man's beard rubbing against his skin.

"So that's Takeru's dad huh? I can see the resemblance…" Usui mentioned, still watching the spectacle even though he didn't want too.

Nagi, who had been mildly surprised at seeing Takeshi acting like an overprotective father towards his teenage daughter, began to look at the scene with a gentle expression as he thought of his own son who had just been born, but never got the chance to see. Being a father was something Nagi wanted to try out and he wondered if that was how a father and son should act, all up close and personal.

"Damn it, I said let me go!" Takeru yelled as he upper cut his father right in the chin, sending Takeshi through the air and leaving all of the spectators with stupefied looks.

"… _Maybe not…"_ Nagi thought as he watched Takeshi get back up with a smile still on his face but a large bruise under his chin.

"Haha, my boy! That was a wonderful right hook, you've grown up well" Takeshi was all smiles as Takeru frowned at him but loosened up a bit. His expression changed when his attention was then directed towards Nagi who remained as impassive as ever.

Takeshi had noticed his boy's curiosity and walked over to Nagi, patting his shoulder.

"Let me introduce you to an old buddy of mine, this is Nagi" He then turned to Nagi. "Nagi, this is my son Takeru. Say hi"

"How's it hanging, kid?" Nagi grinned at Takeru who momentarily flinched at Nagi's charming face but immediately regained his composure.

" _Mother of god, this guy's dangerous!"_ Takeru wondered as couldn't believe how good looking Nagi was. The fact that he could even charm Takeru even though he was a male convinced Takeru that if left alone, the entire school would fall for him.

"O-Oh, it's nice to meet you. I hope my stupid dad hasn't bothered you" Takeru ignored the dramatic reaction from his father.

Nagi merely chuckled. "He's a handful alright"

Usui had decided to butt into the conversation as he felt he wasn't getting enough screen time. "Are you an new instructor here?"

Nagi raised his eyebrow to the unfamiliar student standing in front of him and looked at Takeru. "Is this a friend of yours?"

"A-Ah, this is Usui Kengo. We're both in the same class and also-

"We're both proud members of the Maken-Ki! Of course, my standing is much higher than this guy's. Pretty amazing, right?" After cutting Takeru off, Usui proudly puffed his chest while Takeru rolled his eyes towards his boasting.

"Is that so…" Nagi's dull response indicated towards everyone that he didn't know or care what Usui was bragging about. This caused a surge of laughs and giggles among the students, even Takeru and Takeshi couldn't stop laughing at the now embarrassed Usui who hung his head in shame.

After Takeru had stopped laughing, he glanced over at his father. "So, I've been meaning to ask this but just what exactly are you doing here, pops?"

Takeshi looked at Takeru and smirked. "We're here to see the festival, I was actually planning to show Nagi here how the school worked. He's been interested in it for quite awhile" Takeru ignored the narrowed glare of Nagi and continued. "Also, we're here to speak with Minori about some things regarding Kamigari".

"The principal? Does she know that you're visiting?"

Takeshi shrugged. "Probably, I'm sure that Amado girl reported our visit here by now. Bit of a shame too, I wanted it to be a surprise".

"I don't think the principal's in the mood for surprises, pops" Takeru admitted as he recalled Minori's bad mood earlier.

"Haha, I guess we'll just have to see. You two should get back to whatever it was you were doing, the festival's almost here isn't it?"

"T-That's right! The garbage!" Usui realized they had thrown away what they were tasked with disposing of properly and rushed back to grab the bags.

"He's a funny one" Nagi mentioned as he smiled.

Takeru sighed. "Oh, more than you know…"

"In any case, we'll be leaving now. Tell Haruko I'll be expecting a visit from her while I'm here; shall we go then, Nagi?"

Nagi yawned a bit as he stretched his arms before nodding. "Sure"

The two of them continued forward as the students who had been watching them from afar split apart to let them through.

Takeru scratched his head towards the strange encounter he just had. "I wonder what pops wanted to talk about with the principal…. And who was that guy with him? Nagi, was it? Why was such a handsome guy hanging out with my dumb dad? Also..."

Takeru wasn't sure if he was correct about his assumption but still worried about what it could possibly mean. "And why is it that I can't sense any Element from that guy?"

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it.**

 **In the next few chapters, we're going to be seeing alot more of Nagi and he'll come face to face with the principal of Tenbi Academy, Minori!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: First Impressions**

* * *

 **[Outside Minori's Office]**

"So this is it, huh?"

Standing in front of the large door that would lead them into the principal's office were Nagi and Takeshi, with the former glaring annoyingly at the wooden door. It was bad enough that they were bombarded by students crowding around them after every corner but what really ticked Nagi off was that Takeshi had _no_ idea where he was going. Since it had been years since the man had stepped into the academy, his memory of the school layout was pitifully bad and because of that, they had spent the last half an hour cruising around the school in circles. It was only thanks to Nagi asking one of the female students, who was _more_ than willing to lend a hand, where the principal office was that they made it at all.

Nagi then side glanced at the embarrassed Takeshi who sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"Oh come on now, don't look at me like that. We made it here eventually, didn't we?"

"...Whatever" Not wanting to waste anymore time, Nagi reached out for the door handle and right before he could open it to walk inside...

"Sensei!?"

A boisterous voice came from behind Takeshi as the duo both turned their heads to see a rough looking man with spiky orange hair and a somewhat muscular build stand there dumbfounded. The most noticeable thing about him was the white headband he wore on his forehead with a strange symbol that looked like a cross.

"Oho! It's been quite a long time, Gen!" Takeshi brimmed as he made his way over towards his former student who had always had an incredible talent for creating new Maken.

"S-Sensei, what are you doing here?" Gen wasn't expecting his own sensei to show up now of all times as he shook his hand.

"I thought it'd be nice to pay you all a visit; having walked around the school for a bit has brought back some nostalgic memories"

"Oh I see..." Truth be told, Gen was planning on heading over to the Oyama Dojo to discuss with his former sensei about the movements of Kamigari along with the development he had made with creating a new type of Maken. Well, this saved him quite a bit of time so he wasn't complaining.

Gen's eyes then traveled to the peculiar man standing in front of the principal's office with a neutral expression.

"Who's that? _"_ Gen asked.

Takeshi knew he was referring to Nagi and merely pointed over his shoulder. "An old friend of mine, I came with him"

"An old friend of sensei's? Hmm..." Gen studied Nagi's body from top to bottom and tried to search his memory for any encounters with this fellow. He wasn't having any luck as he was certain he had never met him before, which was odd for him considering he knew most of his sensei's old contacts that worked for either Tenbi Academy or Yomatsuri.

"Do you plan on staring at me all day?"

Nagi's voice snapped Gen out his analysis as he scratched the back of his head. "Ah, sorry about that. It's nice to meet you; I'm the famous Maken smith and one of sensei's former students, Gen Kagayashi" He walked forward and reached out for a handshake. "Nice to meet you"

Though he was still annoyed at someone staring at him for the eighteenth time today, Nagi curtly nodded as he grabbed his hand and faintly smiled. "Likewise, I'm Nagi"

Gen momentarily flinched as he didn't expect Nagi's grip to be so strong while placing his hands on his hips. "If you're an old friend of sensei's, were you also a student of his?"

Nagi snorted. "As if that old man could teach me anything worth crap"

"Oi!" Takeshi retorted as he glared at the chuckling Nagi while Gen had to hold in a laugh at Nagi's bluntness towards his former sensei. That was definitely new; he had never seen anyone get Takeshi so worked up before like that. His interest in finding out how he was connected to his sensei definitely rose with that little exchange.

Clearing his throat, Takeshi picked off where Nagi started and grabbed the door handle. "It's about time we head inside, don't you think?"

"Then hurry up and open the door" Nagi complained impatiently.

Nodding his head, Takeshi turned the handle and the three of them walked inside to meet the dignified appearance of the principal of the world's most prestigious training facility for element users... or not.

"L-Let go of me Aki, just one bottle won't hurt!"

"No! It's been years since we've seen sensei and you want to welcome him by being drunk!?"

The three men found themselves staring disbelievingly at the scene before them; two women, who were lying on the floor in a comprising position where one of them was mounting the other, both struggled to tear away a bottle of wine from the other. They both weren't even aware of the three gentlemen standing in front of the door and continued their little dispute.

Gen face palmed as he watched two of his closest friends act in such a manner. "...What the hell are they doing?"

"Looks like some sort of foreplay. Should we stop them?" Takeshi rubbed his chin while continuing to stare at the engaged duo.

"Screw that, let's see where this goes" Nagi admitted with an amused grin, not complaining in the slightest about watching two busty chicks go at it.

Takeshi and Gen traded blank looks between each other before nodding at Nagi's logic. As men, interrupting this would be shameful.

"Damn it Aki! I said let... huh?" Minori, who was beneath Aki stopped for a moment and looked towards her office door, her eyes widening in horror at who was standing front of her.

"Hm? What is it, Minor...eh?" Aki Nijou, the school nurse and another member of the original Maken Ki questioned as she followed Minori's eyes which led her to the door. Her eyes befell the figures of her former sensei, one of her closest friends, and an incredibly handsome young man she had never met before.

The bottle that was between them dropped to the ground with a loud thud before an awkward silence enveloped the room.

"...How long have you guys been there?" Minori asked horrifically.

Gen sighed as he scratched his cheek. "Long enough for sensei and our guest here to get a good view of you two almost making this story r rated"

Aki's face light up like a cherry as she just realized what kind of position she was just in while Minori's eyebrows twitched in annoyance.

"And why the hell didn't you say anything!"

"We were enjoying the view" The three of them deadpanned immediately.

"Forget what you just saw!" Minori and Aki both screamed at the top of their lungs.

* * *

 **[A Few Minutes Later]**

"Please forgive our unsightly appearance, sensei" Aki gracefully placed a tea cup on the table before she bowed respectfully towards the now sitting Takeshi who merely waved his hand in the air.

"No worries, I quite enjoyed what I saw! Hahaha!" He laughed merrily as Aki couldn't hide her flustered face from how she had been caught in such a position in front the boys. Why was she always ending up in situations like these!

Gen, who was leaning against the couch that was opposite of Takeshi glanced at Minori who was putting away the bottle of wine behind her desk. "You called both Aki and I over here to tell us that sensei's visiting and yet you try to get drunk before he arrives? Seriously?"

"Lay off me" Minori stuck her tongue out at him. "It almost worked too. I just didn't expect Aki to get here so fast..."

Aki huffed as she placed both of her hands on her curvaceous hips. "Of course I would!" She then took a seat opposite of Takeshi and crossed her legs while brushing a strand of her cerulean hair out of her eyes. "I thought it was an emergency"

Gen nodded. "I even took a shortcut to get here but I wasn't expecting to meet up with sensei. It took me by quite surprise"

After Minori had placed the bottle behind the desk, she walked back over towards her couch and sat down next to Aki while crossing her legs as well and laid back to get comfortable. "In any case, it's great to see you again, sensei"

Takeshi nodded as a warm smile enveloped his middle aged face. "That it is, I see that you've grown up quite splendidly" He then turned to Aki with a less than innocent grin, eyeing the woman's immense cleavage that barely contained itself in her blouse. " _Especially_ you, Aki-chan"

"Oh stop it sensei, you're making me blush" Aki giggled, clueless towards the perverted gaze that Takeshi was giving her.

While Gen sighed and Minori grinned at their exchange, the principal's eyes then wandered over to the figure of Nagi who was standing a few feet away from them, staring at a picture of the old Maken Ki group in their youth.

Nagi wasn't sure why but looking at the group photo absently reminded him of the photo he had taken with the members of the Ala Rubra. His fondest memories always consisted of his old comrades and that photo was the only thing that tied them together, to remind them of all the grueling and dangerous battles they had been through.

" _I wonder how all those guys are doing right now..._ " Nagi was completely oblivious to the focused gaze that he was getting from the principal.

" _So that's sensei's guest..."_

In all honesty, Minori was utterly in the dark about what kind of person this guest of her sensei's was going to look like as Takeshi was middle aged so anyone who he knew as an "old friend" surely must have been similar in age. Yet, Yuuka had mentioned that the guest was "far too young" to be considered an old friend which led Minori to believe it could be a middle aged man who _looked_ young.

Having said that, this man standing only a few feet away from Minori couldn't possibly be as old as her sensei as he was clearly in the prime of his youth. Minori had met a lot of men over the course of her life (some she wished she could forget) with only a few of them making enough of an impression on her to remember their faces and names. The impression she got from this stud was that he was no ordinary individual and was someone she needed to keep her eye on, especially since for reasons she couldn't fathom, not a trace of element could be sensed on him.

She looked over towards Aki and Gen who were also analyzing Nagi and concluded they must have been thinking the same thing.

Deciding it was time to break the ice, Minori grinned towards Takeshi. "Hey sensei, don't you think it's about time you introduce us to your guest?"

Takeshi, who had been cheerfully drinking the tea that had been brewed for him nodded and turned to Nagi. "Oi Nagi, come over here for a second".

"Hm?" Nagi stopped staring at the picture and looked back at Takeshi with a distant gaze. "Oh sure" He closed the distance between them and sat down next to him.

Takeshi was a bit suspicious of what Nagi was doing staring at the picture but shrugged before turning to the anxious figures of his former students and smiled. "I'd like to introduce you three to an acquaintance of mine, this is Nagi. He's come here from overseas to visit this school".

"I had no idea sensei knew people from outside of the country..." Minori admired as she turned back towards Nagi who noticed her gaze.

Nagi gave a curt nod as a small grin graced his lips "The old man here wouldn't shut up about you guys so I'll admit, I was curious to meet all of you".

Takeshi huffed in a proud manner. "Well of course, these three are some of my finest students who have also become quite proficient in their specialized fields".

"Hmm..." It was now Nagi's turn to examine the three individuals in front of him as his eyes wandered from one to the other. None of them looked particularly strong or intimidating in the least so he wasn't all that impressed. Though to be fair, he couldn't judge a book by its cover as he himself was a prime example of that.

Minori's curiosity towards Nagi began to rise as she noted how casually he spoke towards her sensei without any honorifics despite being the youngest one here. "So you're Nagi, huh? Well, as the principal of Tenbi Academy, it's my honor to welcome you here! I'm Minori Rokujou!"

Aki followed her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Aki Nijou. Please enjoy your stay here and if you are need of a check up, feel free to come and see me"

Gen grabbed his bicep and produced a smirk. "You've already met me but if you're in the need for a Maken, look no further than this genius Maken smith, Gen Kagayashi! Since your sensei's old friend, I'll even cut you a discount!"

In the face of the three excited adults who were all brimming with eagerness to make a good impression of their sensei's friend, Nagi glanced at Takeshi who looked like he couldn't have been prouder than his students than he was now. To see them grow into such fine adults must have been such a wonderful feeling for him.

Nagi's eyes moved between all three of them until it fell short of Minori who raised her eyebrow at the younger man's gaze. A wicked smirk appeared on her face as she unfolded her legs and bent over, allowing her ample cleavage to be exposed outright in front of both her sensei and Nagi.

"Hm? What's wrong? You see something you like?" Minori teased as she could read most guys like an open book and assumed he was probably fascinated by her enormous bust. Ordinarily, she'd send whoever was staring at her or Aki's breasts sent flying but since this was sensei's friend and also quite the hottie, she didn't mind teasing him a bit.

" _This woman is seriously the principal? There's not a single thing about her that fits that word"_ The fact that Minori was wearing an orange track suit and had her legs spread wide open didn't improve her status in Nagi's mind as he seriously wondered how this woman became a principal.

Based on Nagi's experience at Magician's Academy, he expected the principal to be some sort of fossilized grandma with a dignified appearance and the aura of a wise person... but was met with a completely different reality. He turned to Takeshi sitting next to him and pointed at Minori with a baffled expression.

"I can understand those two over there but are you sure this tomboy looking drunkie is the principal?"

"Come again!?" Minori rocketed from her seat and slammed her leg on the coffee table, glaring daggers at Nagi's neutral face. Not only had this punk completely ignored the view she had oh so graciously she had given him, he was dissing her!

"M-Minori! Calm down!" Aki ran up to her best friend and tried to restrain her as the red haired woman looked ready to throw down right there and then.

Gen, who had been initially shocked when he heard Nagi say that, had trouble covering his mouth from his laughter. That was the first time he had seen someone talk to Minori like that during their first meeting and he couldn't deny it; it was hilarious. Whoever this Nagi was, he was already beginning to like him.

"You sure do say whatever you want..." Takeshi had grown accustom to Nagi's bluntness towards others so he was the most lax in this situation. Not to mention, Nagi clearly had no respect for those older than himself as Takeshi had never heard him address anyone, himself included, with an honorific.

After Aki had somehow managed to calm Minori down, she heavily sighed as she slumped back into her seat and gave a troubled look towards Nagi. "Please Nagi-san, you should watch how you speak towards Minori. As you can see, she has quite the temper"

Nagi's eyes transferred over to the pleading nurse and he grinned happily, an act that caused Aki of all people to faintly blush at his pleasant smile. "Yea I figured that much, I was just teasing her"

"T-Teasing!? You damn brat...!" Minori held back the urge to sock Nagi right in his jaw before she huffed and sat back down. Just who did this kid think he was!

"Now now, let's not get ourselves worked up. I came here to discuss something important with you, Minori. It's about-"

"Kamigari, right?" Minori cut him off as she crossed her legs and folder her arms with a serious expression.

Takeshi grimly nodded. "Yea"

Both Gen and Aki looked concerned on the matter while Nagi had a confused look on his face.

" _The hell's Kamigari?_ " He thought absently.

"Ever since the death of Ouken Yamato, we've pulled all our resources into finding Yamato Takeru. Naturally, the tricky bastard isn't making things easy for us" Minori sneered.

"I'm aware that Yomatsuri is also taking part in the investigation. Have they sent any agents here to assist you?"

Minori briefly nodded at Takeshi's inquiry as she picked up a folder on the table and slid it over towards Takeshi who examined its contents.

"Aomi Koshi and Aomi Kai; the two of them were recommended highly by the executives due to their past experience dealing with Kamigari. At the moment, they're patrolling the school and helping to set up for the Himekagura Festival. Not only that..." Minori scratched her cheek. "Otohime has declared war against us and has put up Yamato Takeru's whereabouts if we can win against her elite squad of former Tenbi students"

"Hoh..." Takeshi wasn't aware of that as he just recalled the incident in the gym that had that girl Kim and Isabella worried. "Is that why the gymnasium looked busted up?"

"Yea, those idiots broke through the wall instead of using the door. Repairing that stuff isn't cheap y'know!" Minori complained.

"I see..." Takeshi rubbed his chin as he looked at the photographs before directing his eyes towards Minori. "What about Akaya and Venus Academy?"

Before Minori could respond, Aki was the one who chimed in this time. "They've also been contacted and were willing to help. Unfortunately, most of them have been assigned as bodyguards to the higher ups of Yomatsuri".

"Yea..." Minori was a bit annoyed that Aki had interrupted her but dropped it soon afterward. "Aside from Celia and Minerva, the rest of them are too busy to lend a hand."

Gen held up his hand. "Wait, don't forget Akaya. He's been assigned to assist me in my research for a new type of Maken so he'll pop up around here sooner or later"

Takeshi looked pleased with the news as he smirked. "Well how about that, I guess I'll be having a reunion with all of my students, how nostalgic!"

Aki and Gen smiled warmly at their sensei who hadn't changed a bit while Minori also widely grinned but stopped when she took in the face of the bothered Nagi.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing really" Nagi scratched his cheek in an innocent manner. "I've just been wondering about what this Kamigari thing is that you guys have been talking about"

"...Hah?"

Not just Minori, Gen and Aki were baffled at what Nagi had just said while Takeshi face palmed at Nagi's own comment. It had just occurred to the dojo instructor that because Nagi was from another world, there's no way he would know what they were discussing.

" _Crap..._ " He instantly regretted not preparing for this situation as he watched Minori suspiciously look at Nagi.

Minori's eyebrows rose as high as they possibly could as she studied the clueless expression on Nagi's face.

" _...Is this guy for real? How could he be an old friend of sensei's and not know what Kamigari is?"_

Nagi looked around the room at the mystified expressions he was getting and scrunched his face in a displeased manner.

"Why the hell are you all staring at me like that?"

"Eh? Uh no it's just... you were just joking about not knowing what Kamigari is, right?" Aki surmised as she put on a troubled smile.

"No, I'm dead serious. Is that some sort of secret club?"

"..."

Immediately, three sets of eyes befell upon the panicking Takeshi as their faces screamed "Explanation, now!".

Takeshi rubbed the back of his head awkwardly as his mind went into overdrive trying to fix his current predicament. He then scooted over towards the startled Nagi and whispered in his ear.

"Idiot! Now that you've gone and said that, how am I supposed to explain this!?"

"What are you mumbling about now, old man?"

Takeshi's patience was at an end as he screamed at the top of his lungs. "That's your from another world, what else!"

"..."

No one in the room said anything as the gravity of what Takeshi had just blurted out still hadn't processed in their minds.

"Ah..." Takeshi had just realized what he had done and slowly turned his head towards his students who gave their sensei their own bewildered expressions.

"Sensei... what do you mean by "another world"?" Minori asked out of the blue.

"W-What are you talking about, I never said..."

"No, you definitely said that, sensei" Aki butt in as she had regained her composure and looked at her sensei with a hardened look that Takeshi had never seen before.

"What's going on, sensei? You two have been hiding something from us and I think its about time you tell us" Gen demanded.

Takeshi was beginning to feel the pressure of their words, swiftly glancing at the yawning Nagi who didn't look bothered in the slightest, as if the fact that his existence as a world traveler meant nothing to him.

Takeshi heaved a stressful sigh and resolved himself to come clean. "Alright, you guys win" He then turned to Nagi. "Is it alright for me to tell them the whole story?"

Nagi looked at Takeshi as if he was an idiot. "Hah? Go ahead, I don't care"

A vein popped in Takeshi's head at Nagi's response. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier! I've been trying to keep that a secret this entire time!"

Nagi shrugged. "I never told you that you couldn't tell people, now did I?"

"That's...! Damn, fair enough" Takeshi couldn't refute that claim as he had made that assumption on his own.

Minori was beginning to lose her cool once again as she impatiently stomped her feet. "Can someone explain to me what's going on!?"

Takeshi grabbed his tea cup and took a sip before he turned to his three former students, hoping he wouldn't regret what he was about to say.

"You guys wanted to know so I'll cut straight to the point; Nagi here actually comes from another world".

* * *

 **[Western School Grounds]**

Preparations for the festival were progressing smoothly all around campus, with some classrooms even finishing their booths earlier than anticipated. Because of that, it was allowed by the Student Council that any classrooms that finished before the deadline were granted permission to open up early and get a head start on the others.

On that note, there was one booth outside of the school that many brave male students had flocked too that was operated by none other than two members of the Maken-Ki.

"You sure you want to do this, big guy?" The confident voice of Azuki Shinatsu spoke with her arms crossed as she leaned against her stand. "This is your last chance to back out now"

"Fat chance! When I win this, I'll be getting more funds for my sumo club!" A large, obese man proclaimed with the ferocity of a lion.

"That'll only happen if you can beat me, and I'm not going to hold back!" Akaza Chacha, the energetic dark skinned woman was smiling as usual but in her eyes she too was burning with determination.

At the moment, Chacha and the sumo wrestler were currently gripping hands as the theme of the booth they were standing in was "Arm Wrestling". The rules were simple enough; if you could best either Azuki or Chacha in an arm wrestling contest, the student council would fulfill one request that you had, though there were restrictions on what a person could ask. Regardless, with such an alluring prize at stake it didn't come as a surprise that the booth was incredibly popular.

Unfortunately for the customers, their chances at beating either of them was a dream that just wasn't meant to be.

"Ready..."

"Set..."

"Go!"

The sumo wrestler threw everything he had into trying to best Chacha but to his horror, the girl in question just kept smiling at him with her bubbly face and in a split second, ended the match by slamming her hand down on his, shattering the table they were playing on as well.

All of the bystanders watching presently gulped internally at seeing a man who weighed no less than three hundred pounds tossed aside by a woman half his size as if he was a feather.

"What a plot twist" Azuki spat sarcastically, collecting the festival ticket from the "corpse" of the sumo, adding it onto the huge pile of tickets she had already gathered.

"Alright, that was challenger number 62" Azuki glanced over towards the obviously intimidated challengers who assumed they could win against Chacha eventually if she tired herself out. "Anyone else have the balls to challenge us?"

"I-I'm out..." One of the boys in the back claimed as he began to walk away.

Another one agreed as he too followed. "Same here, those girls are monsters"

Soon, the crowd that they had built up began to disperse as Azuki shrugged her shoulders. It took longer than she expected but in the end, most of the guys in the school were complete wimps.

"Aw, no more fun for me? Why are they all leaving?" Chacha pouted as she was bummed that her fun was over.

Azuki stretched her arms high in the sky and yawned. "We can't help it if we're too strong for those small fry" She then looked at the mountain of tickets she had gathered and beamed joyfully. "At least we were able to make some good profit from those idiots. Not to mention, running this booth was extremely cheap as all we needed were some tables, saving us even more money!"

"You sure are cheap Azuki-chan" Chacha smiled in a awkward manner as she watched her friend laugh maniacally before turning her attention to the figure of one of her friends frantically looking around the school campus. "Hey... isn't that Himegami-chan?"

Azuki had stopped counting her money and joined her friend in observing the troubled blonde. "Yea I think it is. What's she doing?"

"Where'd that guy go! When I find him...!" Himegami was a sight for sore eyes as she looked ready to deck the next person that she saw straight in the face. As she looked over in several directions, the dreadful memory of when she encountered the mysterious crimson haired man who had gotten a full view of her panties plaguing her ego. Though she said that, she was unable to rid herself of the shade of pink in her cheeks as she felt highly embarrassed from that little encounter . She didn't know why it bothered her so much, those perverts Takeru and Usui were always somehow getting full shots of her underwear but she let them off with a simple punishment per usual. Yet for some reason, having that guy get away with not only seeing her underwear but also being able to knock out her treasured shikigami was unacceptable.

"Oiiii! Hime-chan!"

"Huh?" Himegami paused for a second as she turned to the right to see Chacha waving at her with that usual stupid grin on her face while Azuki casually waved.

Himegami snorted. "Oh it's you two..." She soon made her way over towards the booth and side glanced the body of an overweight man only wearing a fundoshi. "I take it this was your handiwork?"

"Yup Yup! It was me!" Chacha admitted enthusiastically.

"We're running our booth here and had an arm wrestling contest. You wouldn't believe how much we've made!"

Himegami crossed her arms and flicked her ponytail, seemingly not interested in the dealings of the "dummy duo". "Is that right...?"

"By the way Hime-chan, where are you going in such a rush? I've rarely seen you look so bothered before" Chacha asked with a face full of curiosity and anxiousness.

"Oh..." Himegami's foul mood from earlier returned as she huffed in a displeased tone. "I was just looking for someone" She then turned to Azuki. "You haven't by any chance seen a guy with crimson hair and wearing a brown cape?"

Azuki cocked an eyebrow at such a question and shook her head. "Nah. Someone like that would definitely stick out around here"

"Tch..." Himegami clicked her tongue at having no luck finding a good lead on the man as Chacha and Azuki traded confused looks at one another. Suddenly, as if a light bulb had gone off in her head, Azuki smiled devilish at the startled Himegami as she rubbed her chin.

"Oh I get it... you must have found a hot new transfer student that caught your eye, huh?"

"Hah!?" Himegami shouted unintentionally at Azuki's ridiculous claim as she then turned to Chacha who also held a similar expression.

"Hime-chan's got a boy she likes! Tell us! Tell us!" Chacha was practically jumping up and down as she pressured the startled Himegami who was flustered beyond belief.

"How did you idiots possibly come to that conclusion!" Himegami stomped her feet on the ground and glared at them.

"You don't have to be shy, is he cute?" Azuki asked with a wide grin.

Chacha held her chin as if she was deep in thought. "Hmm, he must be if Hime-chan is interested in him. I'm more curious to know if he's strong, strong men are the most attractive after all"

Azuki nodded. "Can't argue with that, I'm tired of dealing with the wimps in this school" To the two of them, the criteria for their ideal males were one's who were strong and reliable. Looks came as a second priority.

Himegami would have further rebuked the dummy duo but heavily sighed and dropped it; realizing wasting any more time with these two would probably make her lose brain cells. "Look, just let me know if you see him. And to answer your question, no I _don't_ like him, is that understood?"

Azuki and Chacha didn't look like they believed Himegami but nodded anyway. "You can count on us"

At that moment, a group of female students were seen walking by the trio and began murmuring among each other.

"Hey, did you guys hear the news? Alot of the girls inside the school claimed they saw this insanely hot guy walking with one of the school's old instructors" A girl with lavender colored hair gossiped towards her friends, causing Himegami's ears to spike up immediately.

"Yea! I heard about it too! They say he's got beautiful crimson and dark hair and wears this really cool cape! I really want to see him!"

" _It's him!"_ Himegami practically soared towards the gossiping girls who all shrieked in surprise at seeing the blonde student council member in front of them, looking none too happy.

"H-Himegami-senpai!? C-Can we help you?" The lavender haired girl tensed up even further when Himegami approached her and in one swift motion, grabbed her shoulders.

"That guy you were just talking about, do you know where he is now?"

"U-Uhm..." The lavender haired girl had no idea why Himegami was so aggressive in finding that guy but knew better than to go against one of the wishes of a member of the student council. "From what I heard, he was heading to the principal's office with one of the old teachers"

Himgami slowly let go the girl's shoulders and produced a malicious grin. "The principal's office, eh? Kukuku, you've got nowhere to hide now, Nagi!"

With that, she bolted off towards the school's entrance, leaving all those present baffled towards what just happened.

"So... what was that about?" Azuki asked her friend.

Chacha was equally as clueless as she scratched the top of her head. "I dunno, Hime-chan was definitely acting weird" A grin then formed on face. "This guy she's looking for must be really special! I wonder what he's like to make Hime-chan act that way?"

Azuki couldn't deny that notion as she too was beginning to get interested in what kind of man could have gotten Himegami so riled up that she'd chase him all over campus. Having said that, Azuki's mind was then drawn towards the duel between Otohime and her squad that would take place tomorrow. She clenched her fists tightly and smirked, the excitement of the festival beginning to boil her blood.

"I just can't wait till tomorrow; this year's Himekagura Festival will definitely be one for the record books"

* * *

 **[Back At Minori's Office]**

"...And that's the whole story"

After Takeshi had finished explaining to his former students about what really happened and that Nagi was not of the world they live in, the room had gotten eerily quiet as no one said anything. Minori, Gen, and Aki were all trying to make sense of what their sensei had just spoken to them and had their jaws hanging open.

Nagi was the only who didn't seem to care as he just laid back against the couch he was sitting on and looked around the room to occupy his attention.

"So, what do you think?" Takeshi asked out of the blue to no one in particular with a serious expression rarely ever seen on his face.

Unexpectedly however, an eruption of laughter followed the silence as Minori began to laugh uncontrollably while Aki was trying to hold in a giggle.

"Hahahaha! Good one sensei! You almost had us fooled for a second there!" Minori howled, banging her hand on the desk.

Aki still held her charming smile as a few giggles escaped her mouth. "Really sensei, you haven't changed a bit"

"Huh?"

Takeshi wasn't expecting... _this_ as the two girls continued to snicker, not aware that Gen was the only one who wasn't laughing and looked as if he was seriously trying to believe what his sensei had said was the truth.

Nagi was beginning to get annoyed as a vein popped in his head. "What the hell's so funny?"

Minori began to calm down as she slumped back into her chair, a wide grin on her face. "You guys could have at least come up with a better story than that. Come on, do you honestly expect us to believe that this guy magically came here from another world by some magic portal? How gullible do you think we are?"

Takeshi couldn't argue with that and ordinarily, would have sided with Minori ten times out of ten. However, the evidence of Nagi being of another world was clear enough simply based on how he arrived in their world; a black hole appearing in the middle of the sky was no simple occurrence. Not to mention, his ability to use what called "magic" was something Takeshi, who had battled many element users over his lifetime had never seen. His lack of knowledge regarding "Elements" and "Maken's" was also a factor to consider as well. "Minori, I usually would agree with you but-

"Sensei, I know you're usually a joker but please try to take this seriously. We'd like you to tell us the real reason why-

"What are you, some kind of retard?"

That surprisingly rude comment that cut off Minori mid sentence came from none other than Nagi who was gazing at the woman with a condescending look. Aki and Gen shivered as they felt Minori's rising anger and took a few steps back from their quick tempered friend. Takeshi was of the same train of thought as drips of sweat fell from his forehead at seeing Nagi's... lack of tact.

"What... did... you... just... say?" Minori slowly turned her head towards Nagi who didn't even flinch in the eyes of such an intimidating glare.

"What, you deaf now too?"

"That's it...!" Minori's patience was at its end as she rocketed towards Nagi and was dead set on punching him straight to heaven before the hand of her sensei obscured her view. She stopped frantically and directed her gaze towards the man who's facial expression was apologetic.

"Please calm yourself, and while I apologize for Nagi's rudeness, you don't need to blow a fuse every time someone pisses you off; I see that part of you hasn't changed over all these years"

"But sensei, you can't just expect me to let this slide! Who the hell does this guy think he is, where are his manners!? Don't you think your friend should learn how to respect those older than him?"

Nagi snorted. "You can't earn my respect by some crap like that"

"Why you...!" Minori looked ready to go at him again but was taken off guard when Nagi crossed his legs and looked Minori right in the depths of her eyes.

"The old man here is telling the truth, I am from another world. Now, whether you want to believe that or not is up to you, I don't care either way." He then smirked as he caught a glimpse of the tongue tied Minori who hadn't interrupted him yet. "I just find it hilarious that you call yourselves this guy's students yet doubt his words"

"Of course we'd never doubt sensei! You just can't expect us to believe a ridiculous story like that, can you!?" Minori had bent forward now as the ferocity in her eyes continued to grow.

"Why not?" Nagi deadpanned.

"Huh? Well, uh..." Minori awkwardly scratched her cheek as she tried to counter Nagi's claim but was getting nowhere.

Nagi then turned his attention towards Aki who flinched instinctively. "And what about you? Do you doubt your own teacher's words?"

"E-eh? M-Me? Well I... I would never believe Takeshi-sensei would ever lie to us when it came to important matters but..." She glanced at her former instructor who only smiled back at her, not offended in the slightest by his student's lack of sincerity in him.

Nagi frowned at the woman's indecisiveness while directing his attention to the last individual, Gen. "What's your take on it, headband?"

Gen didn't answer immediately before he closed his eyes and thought about it for a minute. After a few moments, he opened them again. "...I believe you"

"Gen!?" Minori shouted in disbelief as she rose to her feet while Aki had a surprised look on her face.

"Look" Gen started as he turned to his two fellow faculty. "We all know that Sensei is a joker but do you think he would joke around about something like this? I think it's because we haven't seen him in such a long time that we've forgotten how honest sensei can be"

Minori held a skeptical gaze towards Gen before she looked back at Takeshi with a sorrowful expression. If there was anyone who respected and thought highly of Takeshi, it was Minori by far but at the same time, she couldn't deny that sensei's childlike personality had begun to change how she took his words. It was even hard for her to tell at times when Takeshi wasn't kidding around.

"Besides, the fact that I can't pick up a shred of element on this guy and that the disturbance yesterday matches exactly with when Takeshi told the story should give us enough proof of his origin"

Aki suddenly sprung to her feet and bowed swiftly. "Please accept my apologies sensei for doubting you, I meant no disrespect"

Minori looked begrudgingly towards Nagi who teasingly produced a smug grin towards her, earning an annoyed twitch from the principal before she too bowed as well.

"Forgive us, sensei"

Takeshi's response was instantaneous. "There's nothing to apologize for girls... especially considering the great view your giving me now, hehe" Takeshi's eyes were perversely ogling the extraordinary cleavage of the bowing Minori and Aki.

"Sensei!" Aki screamed in embarrassment as she sat back down and huffed in the other direction while Minori produced a hardy laugh.

"Consider that our apology gift" Minori grinned widely as the atmosphere around them had definitely changed for the better as laughter filled the room.

"But still..." Minori's eyes quickly darted to Nagi who cocked an eyebrow. "I can't believe you called me a retard! How rude can you be!"

"Hah? I called you a retard because you doubted the old man; as his students, shouldn't you know him well enough to tell when he's being serious?"

"Well..." Minori felt a bit shameful that she didn't know her sensei as well as she thought she did but couldn't deny the truth in this man's words. Still, it didn't mean she was okay with him being so rude and she made a mental note to give him a punch later.

Gen coughed. "In any case, shouldn't we now discuss how Nagi was able to come to our world?"

Nagi shrugged. "I'm as lost as you are there buddy, one minute I'm in a battle with a rival of mine and the next, a black hole appears in front of us and poof, I'm here"

"How bizarre..." Aki theorized as she placed a hand on her lips.

Minori sat back down and cast a gaze towards Takeshi. "I'm more interested in this thing you call "magic". Is it similar to elements, sensei?"

Takeshi shook his head. "They run on the same principle I suppose but the fundamentals are noticeably different" He then nudged his elbow into Nagi's rib cage.

"Hm?" Nagi lazily responded.

"Care to show them an example?"

"What for?"

"Just do it, it'll help us"

Nagi contemplated it for a minute before curtly nodding. "If you say so"

He raised his index finger and as Minori, Aki, and Gen got closer, they all jumped back surprised when they saw a spark of lightning emit from his hand and continue to circle around his fingers.

"Wow~!" Minori expressed childlike curiosity at seeing such a sight while Gen and Aki were of the same notion.

"Is this really that fascinating? It's just basic lightning magic"

"Lightning...magic?" Aki repeated as she too was fascinated.

"Yea, magic is composed one of the many elements that exist in the world. Any magician who's trained in lightning based spells can do this in a heartbeat. Of course, you need someone of my skill to pull it off with this much swagger"

"Yea yea" Takeshi rolled his eyes at Nagi's ego.

Gen had decided to come a bit closer and narrowed his gaze. "And you're not using a Maken for this? How is that even possible?"

"It seems that the magic that Nagi uses doesn't require the use of a Maken to utilize any of the elements. It's quite handy; in fact it was even able to repair the hole that Nagi made in my garden when he crash landed"

Minori was surprised. "Well damn..."

"Nagi-kun, do you have a way of getting back to your own world?" Aki asked with a concerned look in her eyes.

Nagi shook his head. "Not yet, that's the only reason I came to this school. The old man here said I might be able to find a Maken that could take me back to my own world".

"A Maken to take a person to another world? Ha, I doubt that. Not even the power of the original eight Maken have the ability to do that" Gen announced.

Nagi frowned at that piece of news as his leads towards heading back home were slowly dwindling.

" _Just great, now what I'm supposed to do?"_

As Nagi thought deeply on his next course of action, Takeshi had uncrossed his legs and sat straight, surprising his students.

"Truth be told, one of the reasons I came here today had to do with Nagi getting involved with Kamigari"

"What do you mean sensei?" Minori asked with a worrying feeling at the back of her head.

"Alright, I'll just come right out and say it. I want Nagi to join the battle against Yamato Takeru and Kamigari!"

"Hah!?" Minori had gotten up once again with an exasperated expression while Gen and Aki both looked surprised.

"Sensei... are you serious?" Gen asked.

"Completely, having him on the team would be a great asset"

"B-But sensei, you can't just ask some random person we've never met before to join us!"

Takeshi cocked his head. "And why not? Last time I checked, I was one of the temporary leaders for Yomatsuri so I have the authority to enlist whoever I deem worthy"

"Grrr...!" Minori held her tongue at that fact.

"Besides, aren't you all short staffed right now? We were going to start recruiting anyway, I'm just making it easier for you"

"Even still..." Minori turned to the lost in thought figure of Nagi who didn't seem to be paying attention and watched her sensei defend him. How could sensei trust someone he barely knows so quickly?

"How do we even know if he'll be useful? We're not dealing with any organization here you know, it's freaking Kamigari! He would need to at least be an A ranked ability user to even be considered"

When she mentioned that, Takeshi almost doubled over from laughter, causing the confused woman to cock her head. "Sensei?"

"You don't have to worry about that, I can vouch for Nagi's strength. After all, he bested me in a one on one confrontation"

"What!?" The three faculty members knew how skillful a man that Takeshi was and so to hear that he was bested was quite the accomplishment.

Nagi noticed the three sets of eyes gazing at him with amazed expressions and scrunched his face. "The hell you all looking at, huh?"

Gen and Aki were both quick to back down against the glare Nagi was giving them while Minori on the other hand could feel a surge of excitement well up in the bottom of her stomach. A chance to meet a man who her sensei respected and had such fighting power that wasn't allied with Kamigari was quite slim so she couldn't screw this up. This was her chance!

"Heh, if that's the case... you wouldn't mind if I verified your claims then, sensei?"

Takeshi faintly noticed the glint of ferocity in Minori's eyes and looked at her uncomfortably. "What are you getting at?"

Minori pounded her palm with an open fist as she glanced at Nagi. "It's simple; Nagi and I are gonna mix it up and we'll see if he's good enough to make the cut"

* * *

 **Chapter 7 is done, longest one so far.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Who's The Bigger Monster?**

* * *

 **[Tenbi Academy Forest Grounds]**

The progress for today's preparations towards the festival's official opening tomorrow had gone smoothly and in no time, the day had already gone by. The serene and intoxicating brightness of the forest had now been transformed into a dark and mysterious jungle that shadowed over Tenbi Academy.

A group of people were gathered around a large oak tree and stood on the side lines as they observed the showdown between two specific individuals. Takeshi, Aki, and Gen had taken up the role of observers of the bout between Minori, who standing on the right side, and Nagi who was standing on the left.

Minori grinned happily as she pounded her open palm with a fist, directing a confident smile towards her opponent. "You ready to rumble?"

Instead of a similar reply, she was met with a yawn from the clearly uninterested Nagi, causing an angry vein to show on the annoyed Minori's forehead.

" _That son of a..._ " Minori was beginning to get tired of Nagi's lacklustre attitude as she recalled how many times she had been disrespected by him. She side glanced over towards her sensei who was smiling in delight at seeing the bout and frowned.

" _Just what does sensei see in this guy? Is he really as strong as he claims?"_

While Minori was attempting to size her opponent up to see if he would meet her standards, Nagi on the other hand was far from excited about his upcoming bout and had more "pressing" concerns at the moment. His attention was drawn towards one of the nearby trees where he gazed upon the sight of a short blonde student who was famous for her use of Shikigami; Kodama Himegami had crossed her arms and took a seat upon the tree branch with an intense look.

" _The hell's that shrimp doing over there?"_ Nagi thought inwardly, clearly not all that happy to have another spectator watching the duel. He faintly recalled the memory of their second encounter with one another in the principal's office right after Minori had challenged him.

* * *

 **[Minori's Office, Several Hours Ago]**

Minori pounded her fist as she glared at the baffled Nagi. "It's simple; me and you are gonna throw down and we'll see if your good enough to help us"

"...Hah?"

Nagi wasn't taking what Minori had just said seriously and let out a sigh of bewilderment. She really wanted to fight him? Seriously?

"Minori!" Aki was the first to speak up against the anxious principal as she stood up from her couch with a troubled expression. "You can't just start issuing challenges to guests!"

Minori cocked her head. "Why not?"

"You're being rude! Besides, sensei has already verified his strength so there should be no need to-

"I think it's a fantastic idea"

Both Minori and Aki whipped their heads around towards Takeshi who held a proud smirk on his face.

"Not you too sensei!"

Takeshi shrugged his shoulders. "Oh come now, what's the harm in a friendly match? Isn't that how we've always settled matters in Tenbi?"

"W-Well that may be true..." Aki couldn't refute against that claim as one of Tenbi Academy's golden rule was that any and all disputes would be settled in a proper duel.

"Haha, I knew you'd have my back sensei!" Minori gave a thumbs up to Takeshi, who returned the gesture.

"Anytime"

Aki was beginning to see these two wouldn't change their stubborn minds and turned to her last life line. "Say something to them, Gen-san!"

Unfortunately for Aki, Gen wasn't following her same train of thought.

"Sorry Aki, I've gotta side with sensei and Minori on this one" Gen wasn't going to lie; he was dying to see if Takeshi's claim of Nagi being a superior combatant was an exaggeration or the actual truth, and what better way to confirm that then with a good old fashioned duel.

"First sensei and now Gen-san..." Aki was beginning to lose her marbles from her friend's eagerness to fight. Why did she have to have such brutish colleagues?

"So it's settled!" Minori was practically jumping for joy as she thrust her finger out towards Nagi who mildly blinked in response. "Have a battle with me, Nagi!"

"Hell no"

Minori was comically crushed at such a straightforward decline as she wracked her brain around why the arrogant guest was refusing her challenge. "W-Why not!?"

"Because I don't want to, tomato head"

"Tomato head!?" Minori's rage was flaring again at Nagi who had dared to give her such a demeaning nickname as she was just about ready to send him flying straight to the moon.

Takeshi caught on to Minori's ever growing wrath and tried to defuse the situation. "C-Calm down Minori, don't go crazy on us now" He then turned to the uninterested Nagi. "Nagi, what's the matter? You had no problems sparring against me earlier"

Nagi snorted. "That's a different story old man; that was before I knew how weak you guys were. I mean, if I could beat your ass easily enough and you're their instructor... well I'm sure you can figure it out"

"... _He has a point"_ Takeshi grumbled under his breath at that logic as his memory of being utterly trounced by Nagi back at his dojo was still fresh on his mind.

"Hey" Gen was beginning to get annoyed at Nagi's arrogance and how he was underestimating not only himself but his close friends and directed a fierce gaze towards him. "I don't know who you think you are, but you're dreaming if you think Minori would lose to you that easily"

"I won't lose at all! Let me teach this guy who he's been screwing with!" Minori was practically flailing like a boar as she looked ready to go at anytime.

"Just take a deep breath..." Aki had attempted to calm her friend once again, not sure whether to scold or congratulate Nagi for pushing Minori's buttons so much in a single meeting. Not even Akaya had managed to get Minori this angry and she had to deal with him for _years_.

"Nagi" Takeshi had placed a firm hand on Nagi's shoulders who merely side glanced at him. "I think it'd be in your best interest to accept the challenge. She may be stronger than you think"

Nagi didn't look all that convinced but weighed his options at the prospect of fighting her. Could she beat him? Not a chance in hell, but could she be an amusing opponent to kill some time? That was a possibility. In any case, without any leads on how to get back home, it wasn't as if he had a busy agenda ahead of him. Still, they were trying to get him to join their little group to fight against some super secret organization and that was something Nagi had no interest in taking part of. Getting involved in some sort of school yard turf war wasn't any of his business; he just wanted to go home.

Coming to the conclusion that this was a waste of time, Nagi abruptly stood up and made his way to the front door.

"Nagi!" Takeshi shouted in an attempt to get the man to stay. "Where are you going?"

"I'm out of here; it doesn't seem any of you know how to help me get back home so I don't see why I should stay. I'm not joining your little group, later"

"Wait god damn it!" Minori tried to act fast by running towards Nagi who had grabbed the door handle and was about to leave. "You're not going anywhere!"

"If you help us against Kamigari, you might find what you're looking for!"

That sudden outburst caused all those inhabiting the room to turn around and stare at the person who had said it; Aki Nijou who held a firm but also nervous gaze towards the surprised Nagi who was mere moments from opening the door.

Both Takeshi and Gen looked at Aki with amazed faces as they were surprised at the tone of voice she rarely if ever used. Aki was a very respectful but also timid type of person so it came as a surprise to hear her speaking with such assertiveness.

"Is that true, cleavage girl?" Nagi asked with a hint of amusement at his choice of a nickname.

"Oi, stop being rude!" Minori threatened but her demand didn't even seem to go through as Nagi ignored her and focused solely on Aki.

Aki, who was a bit offended by the nickname she had just given began to calm down and walked forward towards Nagi who was still waiting on an answer. "Yes, given enough time and resources, I'm sure that the answer you are looking for is connected to Kamigari"

"Hmm..." Nagi wasn't completely buying it but the woman he was now facing didn't seem to be the sort to lie. Even so, he needed to know why she had changed her mind so quickly. "Weren't you the one who was trying to stop a fight between us? Why the sudden change of heart?"

Aki swallowed her spit at the reasonable question and quickly glanced at Minori, Gen, and Takeshi but sighed immediately after. "These three stubborn acquaintances of mine won't take no for an answer which really drives me insane but... I decided to trust them"

"Aki..." Gen and Minori simultaneously said that while Takeshi nodded his head with approval. The bond between the three of them hadn't wavered even in all these years.

"That's nice and all but what does me fighting her have anything to do with that?" Nagi stated bluntly as he pointed towards Minori, causing Takeshi to face palm at Nagi's inability to read the mood.

"Kamigari is an organization with powerful ability users, we're afraid that the students enrolled here might not be able to defeat them. Having someone who sensei recommended himself would greatly benefit us which is why we are asking for your help" Aki bowed her head towards Nagi, earning an annoyed reaction from Minori.

"Aki! You don't have to bow your head for someone like him!" Minori wasn't all too pleased at seeing her friend show such respect to a person who had been nothing but rude and arrogant while being a guest. If he didn't show them respect, why should they?

"Look..." Nagi started as he didn't seem all too eager to leave anymore. "I just want to know if fighting those Kamigari guys or whatever will help me get home. Can you promise me that?"

Aki bit her tongue as she could not make false promises but she didn't need too as Takeshi already had an answer waiting for him. "I can guarantee that"

Nagi now turned his sights towards Takeshi. "Hoh... and how would you know that, old man?"

"Think about it for a second Nagi, within this world, Kamigari is one of the largest and most influential branches to acquire information on nearly anything. You don't have a better chance at finding a way to get back home then you do now"

"..."

Nagi remained silent as he studied the man's words. He had told the old man earlier that he'd search the whole planet if he had too to find a way to send him home and he definitely meant it. However, exactly how long would that take? The planet was a big place; it would probably require an enormous amount of time to find a good lead. If what the old man said was true, then forcing those Kamigari guys to feed him information might be in his best interests.

" _And the only requirement to join their group to fight those guys is..._ " His eyes wandered over towards the idle Minori who noticed his gaze and met his eyes with a ferocious one of her own.

"What, having a change in heart?"

The two exchanged glares with one another before Nagi decided to put an end to the silence.

"Since you've resolved yourself for this, as a man, it would be shameful to decline your challenge." A smirk appeared on his face which startled Minori. "Bring it on"

Sighs of relief came out from Gen and Aki while Takeshi laughed in good fashion, truly glad Nagi had accepted. Minori on the other hand was stunned for a few seconds, not used to feeling the way she was now. She had many challengers over her lifetime and she crushed them all without a second thought, doing so gleefully. However, this feeling of challenging someone else and trying to see how truly powerful they were new to her and she couldn't hide it; she was beyond joyful.

"That's the spirit! I won't hold back!"

As Nagi snorted in amusement at the woman's excited demeanour, he turned his attention to the door handle and opened it.

"I'm gonna go look around the school for a bit, call me whenever you decide on the details of our-

"Himegami-Kick!"

As the door flung wide open in front of Nagi who got a chance at seeing the same colour panties from earlier in his face, Kodama Himegami bust through the room in a timely fashion to deliver a drop kick towards the standing Nagi.

"It's time for some payback! Prepare yourself, Nag-Huhhh!?"

Expecting her glorious foot to firmly place itself onto Nagi's face, Himegami was baffled beyond measure when she somehow ended up upside down and hanging by the leg she had just used to kick him with. She briefly looked up and met Nagi's eyes with a stunned expression as he appeared as calm as ever.

"Oh look, it's the shrimp. How's it hanging?"

"L-Let me go you jerk! Let me go!" Himegami struggled to break free as the uncomfortable position of being held up by a single leg frustrated the girl to no end.

"Kodama? The hell are you doing here?" Minori asked as she walked over towards the two of them.

Himegami was hard pressed to answer her as she tried to avoid the principal's curious gaze. "N-No reason..."

Minori held her suspicions and made a note to discipline the girl later for coming into her office unannounced before turning to Nagi, recalling how he had seemed to know her.

"You know her?"

He shrugged. "Sort of, I met this shrimp hanging upside from a tree and said hello"

"I-Is that so..." Minori side glanced towards Himegami's angered expression and had a rough idea on how things ended up the way they are now. Nagi was a man who had a... way with words and she assumed he got on Himegami's bad side just as much as herself. Well, it wasn't any of her business so she didn't give it any more though as she then pointed a finger towards Nagi.

"Back on topic, I'll meet you tonight at ten o clock in the auditorium; that's where we'll duke it out"

Aki immediately spoke up against such an idea. "You can't do that! You might accidentally destroy the entire building!"

"Oh yea..." Minori felt a bit embarrassed from Aki's adamant claim and rubbed the back of her head shyly. "T-Then where are we supposed to fight?"

"What about the large forest near the Oyama Dojo?" Takeshi suggested.

"Perfect!" Minori brightened at such a wonderful idea. "There's plenty of space there to go all out! Man, I can't wait!"

Nagi wasn't excited in the same way as Minori but smiled nonetheless. "Alright, ten o clock it is"

"Hey, what's going? Are you two going to fight each other?"

Nagi turned his eyes towards Himegami, whom he had completely forgotten about by the way, and snorted.

"That's not really any of your business shrimp, I'd be more worried about the view you're giving me again"

"Huh" Himegami was confused about what he was blabbering about until she took a minute to look up and realized that once again, her panties were in plain sight. Her face lit up like a jack o lantern in embarrassment and she shouted with all of her might.

"You assholeeeeeeeeeeee!"

* * *

 **[Present Time]**

" _There's something familiar about that girl... that quick temper and that height... she reminds me of someone_ " Nagi searched his mind for anyone that resembled the shrimp but couldn't piece the puzzles together. He eventually got bored and decided it wasn't worth investing into anymore.

As Nagi continued to stare at Himegami, she was getting irritated at being the looked at for so long and furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you gawking at?"

Nagi blinked. "Huh? Oh... I was just wondering why you decided to follow us" He shifted his body to rid himself of the drowsy feeling he was getting. Today had been one hell of a long ass day for him so he was feeling a bit sleepy, not that he couldn't shrug it off and keep going.

"Do you have a problem with me being here?" Himegami asked in a rather aggressive tone.

Nagi wasn't one for idle chit chat so he shrugged and turned his attention back to Minori. "As long as you don't get in the way, you can do whatever you want"

Himegami felt insulted at that last comment as she gritted her teeth at Nagi's remark before huffing away in annoyance. "I-I don't need you to tell me that...!"

She didn't know why but it bothered her so much whenever Nagi acted so smug like that, as if he was too good to waste his "precious" time to at least acknowledge her presence. It was a strange feeling for her; she had always been treated with the utmost respect from all the guys she knew and there was no one that spoke to her so informally like that, not for as long as she had been a student at Tenbi.

Himegami quickly snuck a peak at Nagi's idle figure and her curiosity towards his origins was beginning to eat away at her. That strength he had displayed earlier today was still plaguing her mind and she decided to watch this duel to see just what he was made of. Though, she was beginning to doubt his intelligence if he believed he had a chance at beating the principal. The woman was a monster in disguise, capable of even challenging the likes of Ouken Yamato who was one of if not the most powerful ability user known to exist. Unless he had some sort of trump card to play, this little match would be over before he knew it.

Of course, Himegami was right to believe that the match wouldn't take long... the only difference being, the outcome she predicted would be completely opposite of what she originally believed.

On the spectator's side, Takeshi was observing his former student preparing for what he believed to be the toughest fight of her life and wondering how much she had improved since he last sparred with her. While he could accurately estimate what level of power she was on now after factoring her growth over the years, Nagi was a complete mystery to him. Even after briefly sparring with him, he was confident Nagi was holding back substantially, enough so to make him worry about Minori's safety if Nagi went all out and forgot to hold back. Well, that was what he was for anyway; he'd make sure to stop them if they got out of hand.

He stepped forward and looked at the two of them. "I'll be the referee of this duel, is that fine with you both?"

Minori grinned. "No problems here"

Nagi shrugged. "Don't care"

Nodding his head in satisfaction, Takeshi proceeded to raise his arm. "Then, the duel between Minori Rokujou and Nagi will now commence! The winner will be decided when the opposing side is either unable to continue or forfeits the match! Also, I know there's supposed to be that long winded chant we're supposed to do but honestly, I can't remember so we're skipping it"

Everyone face palmed at the lack of seriousness in Takeshi while Nagi chuckled in good humour. That was one of the reasons Nagi favoured Takeshi; he was a pretty funny guy.

"Don't worry about it sensei, it's not as if Nagi is a student here anyway. I think we can bend the rules for him" Minori proposed as she was met with approval from Takeshi.

"Very well. One last thing, the use of Maken in this battle will be allowed so Minori, I expect to see your best"

"Eh?" Minori felt a bit uneasy at having the advantage of using a Maken when her opponent not only didn't have one, was utterly clueless on what they were in the first place. "Are you sure, sensei? I think it'd be fair if-

"Oi, stop complaining and start the match already. Your Maken won't make a difference in the outcome anyway, tomato head"

"Oh... Is that a fact... ? _"_ Minori was practically seething as she had just about enough of Nagi's smartass remarks, preparing herself in a formal martial arts stance and directed an intense glare towards him. Meanwhile, Nagi casually stretched his body and did a few basic exercises to rid himself of the stiff feeling he was getting.

" _I can't expect too much from her but I might as well keep my magic on standby just in case. Shit, I can't remember most of the ones I memorized and I lost my cheat sheet card. Aw screw it, I'll just wing it"_

After Nagi had finished his basic stretches and threw his arms to the side, the two combatants were ready to get things underway as a momentary silence befell both of them.

" _Please be careful, Minori_ " Aki prayed that not only Minori but also Nagi wouldn't get hurt in this battle.

Gen however, was having different thoughts than his friend. " _Now, let's see what this guy's made of and why sensei favours him so much"_

Up top, Himegami was also eagerly awaiting the battle as she wanted to confirm with her own eyes how powerful Nagi was.

Takeshi took one final look towards Minori and one look towards Nagi and nodded his head.

They were ready.

"Begin!"

"Ha!" Minori sprung forward like a rocket straight towards Nagi at an astounding rate, surprising all those presently watching. Takeshi compared Minori's tactic of going in head first to his own sneaky and slippery style of manoeuvring behind an enemy. Minori had always been known as the "Human Volcano" so it didn't come as a surprise to him that she started off like this but Minori was making one fatal mistake against Nagi.

She assumed he was weaker in raw power.

Closing the distance between them, Minori drew her right arm back and concentrated focusing the elements coursing through her veins to maximum her accelerated strike. Once she had finished entangling those elements from her elbow all the way to her fist, she shot it forward at a frightening speed that even caused the air around her fist to tear itself to shreds.

Minori wasn't pulling any punches as she decided to end the battle as quickly as she could to humiliate Nagi and bring him down a peg. "Take this!"

Unfortunately for her, that just wasn't going to happen.

That powerful fist that everyone watching assumed could overpower anyone easily was stopped by Nagi with a single hand as his body didn't even budge from the impact. All those present, especially Minori had their mouths hanging wide open at the unrealistic spectacle.

"Wha...!"

"N-No way!"

"Minori's fist was stopped!?"

"As expected..." Takeshi hummed in amazement as he was the only one among the spectators who wasn't stupefied at what just happened. Having been the only one to spar with Nagi, Takeshi's expectations for the mysterious young man were much higher than the others and he was thoroughly looking forward to seeing Minori try to bring out his best.

As Minori struggled to get her emotions back in control while continuing to push forward with her fist, a menacing smile enveloped Nagi's face as he leaned in closer towards the flustered Minori. "Hoh... you're definitely stronger than the old man... but..."

"Woah...!" Minori felt her heart almost burst out of her chest as Nagi's body posture changed instantaneously and was now aiming a punch directly at her face.

" _Shit, he's fast!_ " She ducked her head at the last second, narrowly avoiding the heavy blow from Nagi's fist and tried to counterattack by placing one hand on the ground and pushing her body weight on it. This allowed her to position herself perfectly for a double frontal kick towards Nagi's torso but Nagi had already moved out the way and raised his leg into the air, planning on slamming it down the unprepared principal.

Grunting in annoyance, Minori mustered all of her leg strength and pushed back while throwing her hands behind her head in order to back flip away from her current position. Nagi's leg came down where Minori's body used to be, destroying the ground underneath and creating a massive crater that shook the forest to its very core.

Minori's body continued to rotate backwards from the momentum of her back flip until she twisted her body in mid air and skid across the ground, coming to a stop in front of a burly tree.

Nagi, who had gotten out of the crater he had personally created, dusted himself off and whistled in surprise. "Nice reflexes, tomato head"

Minori felt irritated at the disrespectful nickname but knew better than to let it get to her head and concentrated on staying focused. She didn't let her guard down for a moment while she impatiently waited for Nagi to come at her.

" _Good, she's beginning to take this seriously. Let's take this up a level"_

It was now Nagi's turn to go on the offensive as he shot himself forward and attempted a roundhouse kick at the startled Minori. She barely had time to block it as she threw up both of her hands together to intercept the attack aimed right at her head. The moment Nagi's leg made contact with Minori's arms; she felt her entire body shake from the magnitude of phenomenal leg strength and grunted in agony before attempting to counter attack.

" _Not bad, let's keep it going"_ Nagi followed up his blocked kick by swiftly rotating his pivot leg and spun around, aiming to use the same leg but backwards. Minori quickly ducked under the leg and threw out a punch towards Nagi's stomach but Nagi also dodged it and jumped high into the air with a mocking grin, as if saying "Come and get me"

Minori took the bait hook line and sinker as she also jumped upwards, closing the distance between them and threw a flurry of punches towards the sky born magician. Her speed was definitely a cut above the rest as it looked as if she had several arms but Nagi saw through all of them and nimbly dodged them all in midair, even seeing a quick opportunity to counter attack as he landed a solid punch against Minori's face.

The principal was sent flying down as she tried to ignore the stinging pain that plagued her cheek where Nagi had struck and slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Nagi following her down and ready to inflict another blow on her was enough to snap her back to reality and she tucked her stomach in to begin flipping in mid air, the momentum building up as she landed on the rough surface of a tree. Squatting down, she uses her legs like a human spring and bounced back right towards the incoming Nagi and the two collided their fists together in mid air, sending a shockwave through the forest that alerted all forms of wildlife nearby to run the hell out of there.

" _I-Incredible!_ " The tree Himegami was sitting on was also beginning to shake as she tried to gain her footing, lest she wanted to fall off.

After their two fists had collided, Minori was having trouble ignoring the pain in her knuckle that couldn't handle the impact of Nagi's clearly superior strength. Nagi wasn't letting up as he quickly followed his initial attack by grabbing her hand so that she couldn't escape and brought her closer in before kicking the woman straight in the stomach, causing Minori to spit out some blood before her body was sent spiralling downwards.

" _D-Damn it... that fucking hurt..._ " Minori didn't have time to bitch and moan about the pain as she tried to regain her balance and spun herself around before landing on the ground and slid across the surface with her hand clutched to her stomach. Nagi slowly landed to the ground himself as he didn't look winded in the slightest; how could he after proving how exceptionally skilled in hand to hand combat he was?

As Minori got back to her feet and began to calm down, she wiped her forehead that was now dripping in sweat not from exhaustion, but from fear as she hadn't fought an enemy in such a long time that made her as anxious as she felt now. She looked over towards her sensei, ignoring the awe struck looks of her fellow faculty members, and observed his cheerful mug.

" _So he wasn't exaggerating..._ " Minori now understood why Takeshi regarded Nagi with such respect and could definitely believe he defeated her sensei with moves like that.

Himegami, who was sitting on the tree branch near the battlefield, sighed in amazement as she too was thoroughly surprised at Nagi's level of skill. She suspected he was a lot stronger than he looked but to think he could force the principal back like that; it was a hard pill to swallow.

Floating next to her, her flame shikigami Kagezuchi was also impressed. "Wow! That red haired guy is really strong!"

"Mhm, I can see how he defeated us so easily now" Igazuchi, Himegami's lightning spirit was also showering Nagi with praise.

Himegami snorted at them. "Don't be stupid, in your true forms he wouldn't last a second against you guys. Still, I'll admit he's much better than I thought he was"

With how the match was going, it was only a matter of time before she was defeated as Nagi's skill was greater than her's. To prevent that, she had come to the decision of relying on her trump card to defeat Nagi. Similar to her bout with Ouken Yamato, Minori would only resort to using her Maken against a worthy adversary and Nagi had proved himself to be one with that short engagement just now.

Nagi was of a different viewpoint as he clearly wasn't satisfied with Minori's level of skill. "Is that really the best you got? Quit holding out on me" Nagi complained as he began to move forward towards the stationary Minori. In Nagi's mind, Minori was no threat to him but he still wanted to see her Maken at least once before he ended the fight.

Taking a deep breath, Minori slowly opened her eyes and concentrated on unlocking the seal on her Maken. "Very well, you asked for it"

The temperature around Minori's body rapidly began to change and it looked as if the air itself was beginning to burn. Nagi narrowed his eyes as he thought he was beginning to see things but sure enough, it wasn't an illusion.

" _What's going on...? Why is it so hot around her?_ "

Aki, Gen, and Takeshi already knew what was coming as the heat was also beginning to affect each one of them. Releasing the seal on her Maken wasn't as simple as other Maken's due to how overwhelmingly powerful it was.

Minori stretched her right arm to the side in an oddly dramatic fashion and from it; a swirl of energy began to condense itself from the tip of her fingers to just short of her elbow. In no time at all, her arm was covered completely in a crimson red gauntlet with a large circle in the middle. Minori, who was observing Nagi's surprised facial expression, grinned in delight at finally seeing Nagi flustered and got herself into another fighting stance.

"Surprised aren't ya? Allow me to introduce you to my very own Maken,『 **Dragon Ace!** 』"

"Hoh..." Nagi wouldn't lie, out of all the Maken's he had encountered so far, which weren't many to begin with; Minori's was by far the most intimidating. You could visibly see the amount of pressure the gauntlet emitted as smoke was still surrounding it.

"Oi, Nagi"

Nagi side glanced towards Takeshi. "Hm?"

"Some words of advice, don't let that thing hit your or else you'll be sorry"

"...I'll keep that in mind"

Judging from the old man's tone, he was being completely serious with that comment just now.

As Nagi was preparing himself, Minori had decided to go on the initiative and squatted down, focusing her element between both of her powerful thighs. "Here I come!"

Like earlier, Minori shot forward like a rocket and quickly closed the distance between herself and Nagi. Nagi, who could watch her movements, decided to play around with Minori to see just how much stronger she had gotten and prepared himself to block the attack once again with his palm.

" _He's not dodging!? That idiot!"_ Takeshi thought worriedly as his warning towards the foolish young man had been ignored.

Minori was all smiles as she pulled her arm back, activating her Maken's thermal drive immediately and in one swift motion, threw her fist forward which created enough friction in the air to launch a gigantic fireball towards Nagi. "Ignition Burst!"

Nagi, who had smiled initially, fully prepared to intercept the flashy technique with minimal effort, was taken completely by surprise when the impact of the attack was astronomical and he found himself catapulted backwards through the forest. The surrounding area behind the blast radius was scorched and Nagi's body traveled for a good while before he crashed head first into a tree, sending it tumbling down afterwards.

"Haaaa..." Minori let out a heavy sigh as she studied the damage her Maken had caused and smiled approvingly. She was confident that overconfident bastard was feeling the pain now.

A face palm was seen coming from Takeshi who shook his head in disappointment. He tried to warn that idiot but he wouldn't listen.

"Y-You did it Minori!" Aki beamed happily at her friend's victory, though she was a bit worried about Nagi after having taken a direct attack from her best friend's unstoppable Maken.

"I thought you were in trouble there for a second before you brought it out. Jeez, don't scare us like that" Gen was a bit disappointed that the fight was already over but glad no one was injured seriously, well Nagi might be after that.

Minori grinned as she gave them a thumbs up. "Piece of cake! Now, we might wanna start looking for his body and begin treating him"

Aki nodded accordingly as she looked at the damaged forest, unable to even see where Nagi's body would have landed. She really hoped he wasn't too injured.

Himegami, who had witnessed the short scuffle between them, sighed in disappointment as she expected this outcome but was still bummed about it. For all of his arrogance, Nagi was utterly defeated today which did make her feel a bit happy for what he did to her but ashamed because she believed he might prove her wrong.

"Might as well get out of here... huh?" Himegami stopped short as she was about to leave when her eyes immediately caught something out of the ordinary. The tree that had fallen over after Nagi had crashed into it was launched straight into the air and landed with a large thud a few meters away from the group's location.

" _I-It can't be...!"_

Over on Minori's side, she felt the shake of something large crashing into the ground and looked over in the direction of where she had sent Nagi, feeling something was off.

"What's wrong Minori?" Aki asked out of the blue.

"..."

She remained quiet, her eyes not wandering anywhere else than what she was currently focusing on. If her instincts, that were usually spot on were correct, this battle wasn't over yet.

As if on cue, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from the narrow path of where Nagi was launched. Everyone remained quiet in order to properly here the approaching sound and after almost half a minute of waiting, the figure of an annoyed Nagi emerged from the forest with several specs of dirt scattered across his clothing.

"Damn, you really got me there. I didn't expect your power to increase that much, shit it still hurts" Nagi cracked his neck as a frown came onto his face.

"S-Seriously...?" Minori couldn't believe what she was seeing, that same technique that was able to push Ouken to his knees and almost knock him out for good looked like it had no effect on the young man standing before her. What was he, some sort of demon!?

Minori wasn't the only one in utter shock as Aki, Gen, and Himegami were all speechless on how Nagi was able to ignore the damage after taking a direct hit from Minori with her Dragon Ace. That shouldn't have even been physically possible!

Takeshi on the other hand was startled but relatively accepting of the fact that Nagi wasn't injured as he knew all too well that the crimson haired man was abnormal.

Nagi finally came to a stop as he finished cracking his sore body parts and then grinned at the nervous Minori. "It looks like deciding to fight you was the right decision. I'll admit, I underestimated you because I wanted to see the true power of these so called Maken. Now that I know what you're capable of..."

In an instant, the gravity around Nagi took a sky dive as a surge of power could be felt coming from his body. All those present instinctively flinched as they could feel that tremendous power leaking out as if it was a can of soda just waiting to burst open. What terrified them more was the look in his eyes; the fearsome eyes of a predator ready to devour its helpless prey.

"I can now show you why they call me the strongest!"

"Wha...!?" Minori was flung backwards from the sheer pressure emitting from Nagi as she crossed her arms together and skid across the ground. Takeshi moved quickly and grabbed both Gen and Aki's hands, directing them towards the back of a sturdy tree to shield them from the immense pressure, as if a giant tornado was heading their way.

"S-Sensei... what is this!?" Gen asked with none of his earlier confidence being present, sounding more like a frightened young boy.

"I-It's too much...!" Aki was almost beginning to lose her mind at the swell of power and fell to her knees as if she had been a puppet who had its strings cut. She was sweating all over and panting heavily, unable to handle the intensity.

"Stay strong! My『 **Casting** 』is already up so we should be fine!" Though he said that, Takeshi was having troubles of his own as he mustered all of his inner strength to keep himself from succumbing to the intoxication. When he estimated that Nagi was an existence beyond normal, he _never_ expected something of this magnitude that made a veteran combatant like himself feel terrified. Just what the hell kind of power was this man hiding?

Minori, who was the closest to the surge of power, was receiving the worst of it as her body trembled but stayed vigilant through nothing but sheer willpower.

" _What terrifying pressure...! H-How could someone be hiding such fearsome power...! Even Ouken didn't make me feel like this..."_

The forest itself seemed to also share everyone's sentiments as the leaves blew violently and the sound of wild animals howling in fear was heard in the stillness of the night.

"Oi, tomato head"

"...!"

Minori stopped being petrified for a second as she noticed Nagi holding his right arm outstretched, similar to how she had done it when she summoned her Maken. A stream of pure white electricity radiated from the air as Nagi's shadowed out face was seen smirking menacingly.

"I'll give you one last chance to hit me with everything ya got. However, you better not dare think of holding back otherwise... you'll die"

It was a voice filled with absolute confidence in one's own strength, something Minori knew all too well during her youth. Regardless, she wasn't going to back down as she steeled herself for the worst.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Nagi!" Minori agreed as she pulled back her arm and activated her Maken's ability to create thermal energy, storing that manifested energy within the center of her gauntlet. The technique she was about to use was the same she had used against Ouken and the one that she assumed had defeated him but because of her lack of element, wasn't powerful enough to finish the job. However, this time was different. This time, she was practically at full strength and she was going to use all of it to defeat the monster standing right before her!

"T-This is looking really bad..." Himegami gulped internally as she was a good distance away from the battle but could still clearly fill the intensity of the battle. Judging by both of their stances, the two of them were preparing to unleash their most powerful techniques and Himegami was no fool; that was her queue to scram.

"Ojou, are you not going to stay?" Kagezuchi asked with a hint of disappointment.

Igazuchi lightly tapped the flame spirit on the head. "Don't be dumb, Ojou knows what she's doing"

"We're leaving, now!" Himegami ordered and instantly, her two spirits had vanished and she began taking off in the opposite direction, heading back to Tenbi. Once the collision was over, she'd come back to see the result of the battle but in her heart, she had an idea of the one who was going to be victorious.

"『 **Ignition Cannon** 』...!"

Minori yelled with all our might as she thrust her fist forward, releasing the stored pressure of thermal energy in her fists towards Nagi. From it, an enormous tunnel of flames erupted from her gauntlet that spiralled in a straight line and looked ready to completely incinerate anyone that stood in its way. She was confident; she wasn't going to lose this contest of strength!

"You've shown me your best" Nagi stated as the electricity that surrounded his arm disappeared and he jumped forward, using the momentum of his charge to draw his arm back in a similar fashion to Minori.

"Let's see if it was enough! 『 **Odin's Spear** 』!"

As Nagi shot his fist forward that was enchanted with lightning magic, a gigantic stream of electricity erupted from his fist that took the shape of a spear of lightning that completely dwarfed Minori's flame pillar. To compare the two techniques would be like trying to compare the difference between a mouse and a lion.

The collision between the two opposing forces lasted no longer than a few seconds as the spear of lightning eradicated every ounce of flames and made a b-line straight for the unresponsive Minori, who was mentally crushed at having her most powerful and signature technique defeated so easily.

" _I... I understand now... why sensei spoke to this man with such respect... I... I was a fool... He truly is a monster even I cannot face... how funny, I used to be called a monster... looking at it from the other point of view now really shows how small I truly am... my bad, everyone..."_

Minori had closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate as the incoming stream of lightning was mere seconds away from devouring her. It didn't take a genius to figure out that if Minori or anyone for that matter was hit by that thing, their chances for survival were almost nonexistent.

"M-Minori! Move!"

"Minori, what are you doing! Get the hell out of there!"

"Please, Minori get away!"

The pleas from her two best friends and sensei didn't reach Minori as the only thing she could now hear was the screeching sound of lightning entering her ears. Being so close to it, Minori practically felt as if she was dead already and eagerly awaited the pain that was soon to follow. However, the voice of one person in particular would make Minori open her eyes wide in astonishment.

"Outta the way dumbass!"

At the moment of impact, Minori felt her body being forcibly moved out of place as she caught a glimpse of the spear of lightning narrowly missing her body and shred through the forest. Anything that was caught up in the blast radius, sentient or not, was instantly vaporized and the spear almost seemed to go on forever until it came to an abrupt halt when it collided with a nearby mountain, nearly destroying the entire foothold and leaving a defining mark in the dead center.

* * *

It was strange, Minori knew that she saw the attack hit but for some reason, could still feel her body working. Her eyes were closed shut and she hesitated to open them out of fear of seeing something she'd regret.

"Hey"

"H-Huh...?"

Minori slowly but surely opened her eyes to see the unbelievable seen before her.

She was flying in the air, or at least seemed to be as she looked down and saw an endless line of trees below her. When her eyes moved upwards, the beautiful moon that illuminated over the forest was now in her sights and she confirmed it right there and then that she was indeed, flying.

It only occurred to her that the position she was in was quite comfortable, something that she had never experienced before as her arms were tucked into her stomach and her legs were dangling.

"Aw, did I scare you too much?"

That annoying but familiar voice rang in Minori's head and she turned sideways to be meet face to face with none other than Nagi who was smirking as he looked down at her. She momentarily blushed when she got a look at his handsome features but regained herself before realizing that Nagi was carrying her bridal style through the air, as if she was some sort of princess.

"W-What the hell are you doing!" She had never felt this embarrassed before in her life.

"Hm? Carrying you obviously?" Nagi answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'm aware of that stupid! I meant _why_ you are carrying me!?"

"Dunno" Nagi deadpanned, cocking his head in bewilderment as to why he was still carrying her.

"This guy..." Minori felt herself getting another headache from this man's denseness.

"Hey, is that anyway to speak to the guy who saved your ass?"

Minori raised her eyebrows in an innocent manner. "Huh?"

"Look over there" Nagi inclined his head in a certain direction that Minori soon followed. She didn't know what he was talking about until her eyes popped wide out of their sockets and she felt her heart skip a beat. The damage caused by Nagi's remarkable technique had cleared everything that was unfortunate to be caught up in the spear's trajectory and a narrow path had been created that stretched all the way to the far away mountains. It couldn't even be compared to the minuscule damage that Minori had produced with one of her strongest attack.

"... Amazing..."

That was all that leaked out of Minori's mouth as she felt genuine admiration towards Nagi's strength for the first time. This was all the proof she needed that Nagi had come from another world as no one on this planet could produce such an attack, not even Haruko's『 **Murakumo** 』could do so even after being unlocked.

"I guess I went a little too overboard... good thing I held back on that one hehe..." Nagi explained with an awkward smile.

"What...!? Y-You were still holding back? S-Seriously!?" This couldn't be happening, how could someone do so much damage and still claim to be holding back? How!?

"Hm? Well yea, I'll admit you were alot stronger than the old man but back in my world, the enemies I've fought are capable of this kind of carnage no sweat. Of course, I'm still the strongest of them all" He puffed his chest out in a prideful manner at just admitting to be the strongest of a den of monsters.

" _...Just what kind of terrifying monsters exist in the world this man comes from..?_ " Minori didn't voice her thoughts but came to accept that if this was normal in Nagi's world and _he_ was the strongest, then she truly was out of her league when going up against him. Now, it made sense to her why Nagi was such a cocky and arrogant jerk with power like this, it was mind blowing.

"You're incredible... I've never faced someone who was so much more powerful than me... it's a weird feeling... I guess I know how it feels to be weak for once" Minori's self confidence had definitely taken a blow as her body slumped in Nagi's arms.

"Hmm... yea you're right, it was hopeless to fight against me after all" Nagi admitted bluntly, causing an angry vein to pop into Minori's head. Even if he _was_ right, he still needed to learn some damn tact!

"But you know..." Nagi's voice was noticeably gentler than usual and he turned to the startled Minori, her heartbeat slightly rising when coming in such close proximity with his face; it was so close that she could practically feel his breath on her.

"You impressed me out there, Minori"

A charming smile graced Nagi's lips as the moon perfectly highlighted his features and allowed the radiance of his smile to shine even brighter.

 _Thump!_

"E-Eh?"

Minori felt as if someone had just squeezed her heart with full force as it was now beating faster than ever. Her cheeks felt hot as she could feel that she was blushing madly and her face was becoming flustered as she immediately looked away from Nagi, unable to bear keeping eye contact with him.

" _W-W-What's going on!? W-Why is my heart thumping so fast, what kind of magic did he use!? Why can't I even look him in the eye anymore!? Someone explain this to meeeeee!"_

While Minori's mind was trying to process the unfamiliar feelings she was beginning to have, it had finally dawned to her that she was _still_ being carried bridal style but for some reason, it was far more embarrassing now than it was before. "H-Hey, do you think you could be down n-now!?" She didn't mean to shout but in her current state, it had just blurted out clumsily. She felt like she wanted to die.

"Ah, sure"

Nagi descended below to where the group had taken cover and admired his handiwork. Though he had no doubt about his victory, he had been quite impressed with Minori's raw show of strength and wondered if there were any others in this universe that were on a similar level.

Well that wasn't his main priority anymore, for now, getting information from Kamigari was his top objective and he would stop at nothing from finding the answer to return home.

* * *

 **Has Nagi gained a potential Harem Candidate?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Himegami's Plead**

* * *

 **[Tenbi Academy, Forest Grounds]**

Landing back on the ground slowly, Nagi's body gently made contact with the surface of the floor. Following Minori's request, he let go of her rather heavy body that he had no plans on voicing out loud and looked around, taking in the remaining landscape. Aside from an entire section of trees either being burned to cinders or vaporized to ashes, it looked pretty much the same.

"Minori!"

That voice belonged to Aki as she scurried rather clumsily from behind a tree alongside Gen and Takeshi towards Minori and Nagi. Her face was wrought with panic and worry and if Minori hadn't known better, her eyes looked as if they were about to cry.

"Oh hey Aki, how are you feel-woah!"

Aki's sudden movement of hugging the day light out of Minori took the red haired woman by surprise as her eyes went wide and her face was filled with utter confusion. Had she done something wrong?

"You moron! I thought... _hic_... I thought you were... _hic_..."

" _Oh..."_

Minori got it now; Aki must have thought that her best friend was going to die just now. It made sense to her why she was now clinging to her with such a strong grip, as if to confirm to herself that she was still there.

"Sorry Aki, I must have worried you. Come now, please stop crying" Minori wasn't the best when dealing with Aki when she got like this as she awkwardly stroked her long blue hair.

As she was consoling her, Gen walked up behind Minori and proceeded to bonk her on the head.

"Ow! The hell was that for!?" Minori eagerly clutched her throbbing head and scowled at Gen but soon eased up when she saw he was also close to crying.

"The next time you scare us like that...!"

He looked ready to smack her again before he just turned in the opposite direction and folded his arms.

"... Sorry"

That was all she could say.

She must have really worried them as they rarely acted like this unless the situation was dire. Still, the asshole didn't have to hit her so hard! That seriously hurt!

Takeshi, who had been watching the exchange between his three former students, made his way over towards Nagi who was also watching the spectacle with mild interest.

"You have my thanks"

"Hm?"

Nagi didn't even seem to notice Takeshi's presence until he said something to him and inclined his head towards him.

"You saved her life just now, which is why I'm thanking you"

Takeshi bowed deeply before Nagi which took the magician slightly by surprise before he snorted.

"Don't know why you're thanking me, I was the one who put her in danger in the first place"

That was undeniably true. Minori's life wouldn't have been in danger hadn't she fought Nagi but could he really be held responsible for that?

"I'm aware of that but regardless, I'm grateful. I was supposed to be the referee but I was powerless to keep one of my former students from danger"

Takeshi frowned deeply, even clenching his fists in a manner that made it painfully obvious that he was frustrated. Nagi noticed this and also frowned, but for a much different reason.

"Do you trust me so little that you think I would have let her die?"

It was a fair but heavy question that made Takeshi momentarily freeze. Did he trust Nagi as much as he showed in the way he interacted with him? He hadn't known the man for very long but Takeshi's instincts led him to believe that Nagi was someone whom he could trust with his very own life if it came down to it. He just radiated a sense of reliability and charm that made you feel comfortable around him… though some would disagree, like Himegami and Minori.

"….I trust you"

"Then that's the end of that. Don't waste your time worrying about what you could have done; just make sure to get it done the next time it happens. Focus on the present, not the past"

Those were wise words for Takeshi that he never expected to hear from someone like Nagi. In fact, it seemed that for a brief moment, someone else entirely was speaking to him just now. Probably his imagination.

A light chuckle escaped the older man's lips as he stood beside Nagi. "I suppose you're right"

A comfortable silence befell the two of them before they were interrupted by the figure of Minori, Gen, and Aki heading towards them.

"What were you guys talking about?"

Takeshi waved his hand in response to Gen's question. "Don't worry about it. More importantly, hasn't this battle confirmed what I said earlier regarding Nagi's strength?"

Minori, who had been the one to battle Nagi personally, could no longer deny her sensei's assessment of Nagi's strength as she immediately nodded, followed by Aki and Gen who shared similar thoughts. As they briefly turned their heads to see the damage that Nagi's technique had caused, the mere thought of how anyone could deny his overall power after witnessing this was ludicrous.

"Yes sensei, after today... I... no, we've all come to realize that the world is much bigger than we thought. Heh, and here I thought Ouken and Minori were considered monsters. Compared to them, just what does that make that guy?"

Gen pointed leisurely towards Nagi who merely shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Nagi-san, was that power you used back then what you call magic?"

To answer Aki's question, Nagi nodded his head and went on to explain.

"What I used was an advanced lightning spell known as [ **Odin's Spear** ] that I created myself. Lightning magic is my specialty after all so it's one of my favorites"

Aki was clearly intrigued as she whispered in amazement and wanted to learn more about the fundamentals of magic. The reason being, she was a nurse and if magic could be used on this scale for offensive purposes, just imagine how it could work when used for medical treatment! The idea of enhancing her already proficient nursing skills made her beyond elated.

"Oi, Nagi!"

That vibrant and passionate shout came from Minori as all sets of eyes in the area now focused on her as she had pointed her finger towards him.

"What?"

"I-I... W-What I mean I-Is... I..."

"...Huh?"

In what seemed to be some sort of inner struggle, Minroi was having problems voicing out her thoughts which seemed impossible to those who knew her well. In fact, if their eyes weren't playing tricks on them, they could have sworn that Minori was... flustered?

"What is it? Speak up"

"I-I... Damn it, what I mean to say is I won't lose to you again! I now recognize you as a member of Tenbi Academy so fight me again another time, got it!?" With a face completely dyed in red and eyes blood shot, Minori had somehow managed to blurt out those words.

"... _Minori? Could she... no that's impossible. There's no way someone like Minori could have... but maybe..._ " Aki had taken note of her best friend's rather odd behavior and had come to some sort of conclusion but held her doubts.

"...Hahahaha!"

An eruption of laughter came from Nagi who wasn't expecting another challenge from the girl that he had just beaten so easily.

"W-What's so funny!?"

"Hahaha... ah, sorry. It was just funny that someone would challenge me again despite knowing they had no chance of beating me. Really, you're a funny girl"

"S-Shut up...!"

How many times had Nagi made Minori look like a fool in just a single day, she was beginning to seriously considering killing the man someday.

After Nagi had stopped laughing, a smile like the one that he had shown her before graced his face again that caused all the hostility coming from Minori to disappear as she felt her face redden again at that charming smile.

"I'll fight you again anytime you want, Minori"

"...!"

It wouldn't be strange for anyone to believe Minori currently had a fever with how red her face had gotten.

"W-Who said you could call me by my first name!?"

For those in this world, using someone's first name without an honorific was a symbol of closeness between the two individuals. For Nagi to use Minori's real name so suddenly, especially considering that he was younger than her and always referred to her as "tomato head", there was no greater sign of disrespect. However, calling someone by their first name was perfectly normal from where Nagi came from, so he could not understand her embarrassment.

"What's wrong with that? I call all the people I like by their names"

"L-L-Like!?"

Minori's heart felt as if it was just thrown in the furnace at Nagi's blunt choice of words. She immediately broke eye contact with him and began marching away from the group, unable to look back out of sheer embarrassment.

"Aki! Gen! W-We're leaving, now!"

"E-Eh, right now? Wait up, Minori!" Aki followed close behind as Minori headed back to Tenbi. She was having slight trouble catching up to the stomping principal that wouldn't slow down no matter what.

"What's up with her all of a sudden?" Gen was thoroughly confused on Minori's behavior just now as he said his farewells to both Nagi and Takeshi and followed the busty duo.

Takeshi didn't understand everything that had just happened but judging from Minori's reaction just now; he theorized only one answer that made sense to him. However, he would not voice it, yet.

"So, shall we be off now?"

Nagi shrugged at Takeshi question.

"I guess... but are you sure we can just leave the place like this though?"

Takeshi turned his head to survey the surrounding area and understood what Nagi had meant. It wasn't everyday that a battle of this scale took place and surely, anyone would notice that a large part of the forest was vaporized and a chunk of the mountain was also gone. Still, it wasn't a matter of concern thanks to Yomatsuri.

"You don't need to worry, to conceal the existence of ability users; the government takes care of the damages done in specific areas. I'll contact someone later and let them know about this"

"Hoh..."

If it were up to Nagi, recreating the parts of the forest that were damaged wouldn't be too much trouble, if he knew the spell related to that specific magic. However, since his knowledge of spells by memory was pitiful, there wasn't much he could do. After hearing from the old man that the government would clean up his mess, he wouldn't deny that he was somewhat thankful.

"If that's the case, let's head back. Where are we sleeping?"

"I've already asked Minori to prepare a room for us back at Tenbi. Since we'll be touring the festival tomorrow, sleeping on campus would save us time"

Seeing no arguments with that, Nagi nodded his head and with Takeshi, began their journey back to Tenbi as they tried to catch up to Minori and the others.

* * *

 **[Tenbi Academy, Faculty Dorm]**

Arriving back at Tenbi over an hour later, all of the students had already turned in for the night and the group of returning adults were led back inside by Minori. She escorted them to the faculty dorm where those who were part of the staff of the school resided. Just like the students, the dorm was divided into two sections based on gender and there were two doors lined up next to each other that indicated where one would pass.

"...There's your room guys"

Minori pointed at the door over on the right side as she and Aki were standing in front of the one on the left.

"Mannnn I'm beat, I need some shut eye"

Gen yawned as he sluggishly made his way over towards the door, with Takeshi and Nagi following close behind.

"Hey!"

As Gen and Takeshi had already entered the room, Nagi stopped momentarily as he turned to face Minori who was calling out to him, while still for some reason, avoiding eye contact.

"What is it now?"

"...G-Goodnight!"

Minori frantically spouted that as she quickly rushed inside of her room, ignoring the odd stares coming from Aki and Nagi. A moment of awkward silence occurred before Nagi turned his sights towards Aki.

"What's her problem?"

Aki could only giggle innocently at Nagi's utter confusion at not being able to see the change that had come over Minori,

"You'll have to forgive her, I'm sure she's just embarrassed"

"Embarrassed? Why would she be embarrassed?"

"...No reason in particular. Yes, let's just forget I said anything"

"...Alright...?"

Aki then bowed towards Nagi and smiled beautifully at him.

"Well then, good night. We'll see you tomorrow"

Nagi casually raised his arm as he gave her a small grin.

"Looking forward to it"

Aki walked into her allotted bedroom and closed the door gently while Nagi stood at his door for a good minute before his eyes wandered over towards one of the corners of the hallway. It was faint but he could definitely sense a presence nearby that had been following him.

" _...Who is that? It's familiar but... Oh, it's her..._ "

"Hm? What's wrong Nagi? You coming in or what?"

"Gimme a second, I need to take care of a nosy rodent"

"Rodent? Sounds gross, I'll leave that to you. I'm hitting the hay"

"Sure"

After seeing Takeshi off into his bedroom, the red haired magician decided to have a little fun with the "nosy rodent" as he activated his magic to conceal his presence before jumping up towards the ceiling, waiting for his chance to catch his prey.

* * *

Around the corner, Kodama Himegami peaked out from her hiding spot with a frown on her face as she stared at the doors leading into the staff room. Once she was sure the coast was clear, she strolled forward and stopped right in front of the door leading into the male faculty dormitory.

"Shoot, they must have gone inside already _..._ "

She clicked her tongue in annoyance and inwardly cursed her poor timing as she had attempted to keep a safe distance so as not to be noticed but as a result, she had fallen behind.

"Still to think that guy had that much strength... it's unbelievable..."

After taking shelter from the collision between Nagi and Minori, Himegami had eventually went back to the area where they had fought and was absolutely flabbergasted when she saw half of the forest burned to a crisp and a huge chunk of the mountain vaporized. There was no way in hell she could believe Minori had that kind of power so the only logical conclusion was to believe it was the handy work of Nagi.

"I just don't understand it, where'd a guy like that come from? You'd think someone of his strength and looks would be well known but aside from today, I've never even heard of him"

There were all sorts of ability users that existed outside the reaches of Tenbi Academy and Kamigari, that much was obvious. However, any ability user that was worth training was either enrolled into an academy or working under Yomatsuri or Kamigari. For someone of Nagi's skill and strength that even surpassed that of Minori's, it was absurd to believe he hadn't been discovered ages ago. It just wasn't making sense to Himegami and she tilted her head trying to think of numerous possibilities.

She sighed before shaking her head and realizing that she wasn't going to get her answers here.

"Guess I should come back tomorrow, I'll see him at the festival anyway"

Just as she turned around to leave, she stopped abruptly when the face of a red haired young man, that was only inches apart from hers, was seen smiling while squatting.

"Hi"

"Bwah!"

The frightened Himegami nearly had a heart attack as she jumped back and fell to the ground, rubbing her aching butt as Nagi stood up and chuckled.

"Man, that never stops being funny"

"N-Nagi!? How did you... Where did you..."

She was certain that Nagi had entered the room with the other guys not too long ago, so where had he come from? Ah, she was getting a headache just trying to figure out the complex existence that Nagi was and decided to disregard it from her mind. It wasn't worth the stress.

Himegami tossed a soft glare towards the still grinning Nagi as she slowly stood up and dusted the dirt off her clothes. Even though she was definitely still ticked off about being embarrassed for the umpteenth time, an unexpected golden opportunity had just presented itself in the form of the cocky pervert standing in front of her.

"So" Nagi began as he shoved his hands into his pockets, his face dropping from an amused smile to a questioning glance. "You mind telling me why you were hiding over there?"

Ignoring the insulting nickname, Himegami huffed as she placed both of her hands onto her hips. "Why do you even care?"

An eyebrow was raised on Nagi's forehead. "I don't, but I'm pretty sure a student isn't allowed to be here at this hour"

"Well I have my... reasons" She quickly darted her eyes away from Nagi's, an act which did not go unnoticed by him as he squinted his eyes suspiciously.

"...Is that so"

She was definitely hiding _something_ by the way she was avoiding eye contact and fidgeting. It was actually kind of pitiful how bad she was at body language.

Not caring much for her reasons, Nagi stopped eyeing the girl and turned back to face his bedroom. "Well, whatever it is your up too, try not to make a big fuss about it. I'm tired as hell so I'm getting some rest"

"Eh?"

Himegami was startled by his sudden disinterest in her visit as she watched him open the door.

"W-Wait!"

She couldn't let this chance slip by as she stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve. She was then met with Nagi's eyes staring at her curiously, pondering what she wanted from him.

"What is it?"

"U-Uhm... a-actually, the reason why I came here was because... I wanted to speak with you"

"Oh really? I could have _never_ imagined that you were here to talk with little old me" Nagi said sarcastically, earning an annoyed grunt from Himegami as she let go of his sleeve and crossed her arms again.

"A-Anyway! I'll forgive what you did to me earlier if you answer my questions about you"

"Hah? What did I do to you?"

She growled at him. "Have you already forgotten that you saw my panties!? Not to mention, your hurt my shikigami spirits!"

Nagi scrunched his face, clearly not amused by the girl's accusations of his "crimes".

"That was your own fault, dummy. What kind of girl hangs upside down from a tree like that while wearing a skirt? Are you some sort of monkey?"

"Excuse me!?"

Himegami was about to ready to burst and readied to attack Nagi again, but recalled what happened the last time her sprites tried to attack him. What made it worse was that after seeing the damage he had done earlier, she was even beginning to doubt she could win against him even at full strength.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm down, getting her emotions back in control and directing a focused glance towards him.

"You... just what are you?"

Nagi raised his eyebrow in surprise.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me. Even you can't be stupid enough to believe that what you've done today is anything but abnormal, right?"

"..."

Silence enveloped the hallway as Nagi stood across from Himegami, a blank expression on his face. Himegami was having trouble reading what he was thinking as the man's poker face was top notch.

"Everything about you is weird, your strength, your attitude, you're...looks" She lightly blushed at that last mention. "Just... just who are you Nagi?"

"...Are you sure you want to know?"

"Huh?"

Himegami felt the tension in the air become thicker as she studied Nagi's face and saw his serious expression glaring at her. She inwardly gulped and readied herself for the worst to come if his secret meant he would have to take her out.

"Yes... please tell me"

"...I guess it can't be helped, the secret was bound to get out sooner or later ..."

Nagi closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if struggling to reveal what he was trying to say. Suddenly, he swiftly opened them again and pointed at himself with a straight face.

"I'm Nagi Springfield"

"..."

An angry vein popped onto Himegami's forehead at the answer she was just given and she looked just about ready to sock him straight in the jaw.

" _This bastard..."_

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? I thought you wanted to know my full name, so I told you"

"Who the hell cares about your name!? Stop playing around and tell me what you really are, or else I'm gonna get mad!"

Himegami was practically stomping her feet as her voice had unintentionally grown louder. She quickly realized her mistake and covered her mouth, hoping that her outburst hadn't alerted the teachers residing inside.

An amused chuckle escaped Nagi's mouth. "You really shouldn't yell like that, you don't want to get caught here now do you?"

"Obviously, but you keep playing around with me so I couldn't help it! Why can't you just answer my question seriously?"

"I thought I di-

"Not your name you buffoon, I mean who you are, where you came from, and how did you acquire your powers!"

"Oh, was that what you really meant? Why didn't you just say so?"

" _This guy...!"_ Himegami was beginning to believe Nagi was either a complete idiot or the ultimate troll.

"Why does that matter to you anyway? Why are you so interested in me?"

"Huh? Oh well...I was just...curious is all"

"..."

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Himegami was obviously lying as Nagi glared at her with an annoyed expression. Under that gaze, Himegami folded like wet tissue paper as she darted her eyes downward in embarrassment.

"W-Well it's just... with your strength, having you help us in the fight against Yamato Takeru would be helpful is all..."

" _Ah... so that's what this is about..._ "

It began to make sense to Nagi now that Himegami had come right out and said it. From what he gathered facing Minori, the strength he displayed earlier was far greater than anything anyone in this world could do, so the idea of recruiting him to their side was a favorable decision. The opposite could have also been a nightmare for them as well, if Nagi decided to join forces with Kamigari against Tenbi Academy.

Now wouldn't that be a funny plot twist?

"I see, so you're saying you were so engrossed with my untouchable skills that you couldn't stand the thought of not having me on your team. I understand now"

"Wha!? Hell no! How arrogant are you!?"

"But you _do_ need me, do you not?"

"That..."

She couldn't completely refute that claim and ducked her face away. His personality aside, Nagi was strong. Far stronger than anyone she had seen in her entire life. If he were to help fight with them, she was certain they could defeat Yamato Takeru once and for all.

"...We do need your power, I won't deny that. I... I don't want my other friends to get hurt in this upcoming battle and so, I really want you to help us! If I were to lose anyone... I just..."

Nagi was a bit startled when he saw a few tears beginning to drop from Himegami's eyes and he scratched his head awkwardly. To an outside party, it would have seemed like _he_ was the one who had made her cry.

" _Jeez, why do girls have to cry like that and put this pressure on us? It's not my business to interfere but I did give my word I'd join after I beat Minori..._ "

A promise was a promise and he did intend to keep it, even if it was uncomfortable. Besides, since they would be fighting Kamigari together anyway, there wouldn't be anything wrong with accepting her request.

More than that however, there was a more nostalgic reason why he wanted to help Himegami. It was because she reminded him of Evangeline. Not just her appearance, but her personality was dead on, so much so that it wouldn't surprise him if the two were related. The way she reacted towards being teased, and the way she huffed and crossed her arms, it was a nostalgic feeling for Nagi to meet someone who reminded him of a close friend from the past.

With that in mind, Nagi began to walk forward towards the sniffling girl that noticed his approach and stumbled backwards a bit.

"W-What's wrong?"

Nagi didn't answer her and just kept going until he stopped right in front of her and reached his hand out. His hand was faster than what she expected and she instinctively shut her eyes but opened them soon enough when she felt a warm sensation on her head.

He was patting her head gently and gave the blonde haired girl a soft smile.

"I'll help you, shrimp"

"...E-Eh? J-Just like that? Really?"

Himegami wasn't buying it; there needed to at least be a catch.

He grinned further and ruffled her hair a bit more. "Yea, I've already agreed to fight those Kamigari guys so helping you shouldn't be a problem"

"Did it have something to do with why you were fighting against the Principal?"

Nagi nodded, removing his hand from Himegami's head. "Bingo"

"I see... Well, since you're so intent on helping us, I guess we'll consider accepting you"

"Haha, whatever you say shrimp"

"Will you stop calling me that? I _do_ have a name you know, try using it some time"

Nagi cocked his head. "That's news to me, you've never told me your name before"

"Eh? I never did? W-Well, I guess I'll tell you now. Listen carefully as I'll only say it once, I'm Kodama Himegami"

"Hmm, what a weird name"

"What's weird about it!?"

Nagi looked amused at seeing such a reaction out of her again and chuckled, rubbing her head gently once again and smiling at her.

"Alright then. I'll be working with you from now on, Kodama"

"...!?"

The blonde felt her cheeks become flushed at being called by her first name and she swatted Nagi's arm away that was rubbing the top of her head.

"D-Don't treat me like a kid!"

Though she said that, in her heart she was extremely delighted that Nagi was going to be on their side. Someone as powerful as him lending them his strength would reduce the chances of her friends getting involved. Still, she didn't want to feel as if she was just using him and worried about the possibility of Nagi being hurt. Only a little.

"Will you be okay? I know that you're strong but the agents of Kamigari aren't pushovers. I'm worried that-Gwah!"

She was stopped mid sentence as her forehead was flicked, causing the startled blonde to grab her throbbing head and gaze d at Nagi dumbfounded. "W-What was that for!?"

Nagi snorted. "Don't start worrying about me after you asked for my help, it's annoying"

"B-But I was just concerned about..." She blushed a little, realizing that she seemed a little _too_ worried about the guy she was trying to attack not that long ago.

"If you have the time to be worrying about me, then use it to start figuring out how you'll win tomorrow's battle"

"Huh?"

Nagi then walked back to the door leading into the male faculty room and grabbed the handle, shooting the puzzled blonde an amused smirk. "What? You thought I was going to take part in that little skirmish tomorrow? I said I'd help you against them but that doesn't mean I'll fight your battles for you. You guys agreed to the duel so you handle it. Good luck, _shrimp_ "

The door closed behind him as Himegami was left standing there with an exasperated expression before her anger exploded in a fit of rage.

He had tricked her! He said he going to help but he didn't mean fighting in the festival against Otohime!

"Why that son of a...! Kagezuch! Igazuchi! Prepare for-"

"Hey! Who's making all that damn noise out there!?"

Himegami's heart froze as the voice of the principal came from the female faculty room. Knowing better than to be caught here and punished, she darted away from the hallway and planned to take her revenge against Nagi tomorrow.

* * *

 **[The Following Day]**

Finally, the day had arrived.

The Himekagura Festival!

A joyous school hosted event that would carry out all throughout the week. Numerous booths had already been opened to the students to take part in, such as the haunted house special, basketball tournament, and especially one of the more popular events; the maid café service. It wasn't a stretch to say that more than half of the male student body had come to experience the feeling of being waited on by a bunch of beautiful female maids.

Haruko Amaya, the vice president of the student council and a proud member of the Maken-Ki was seen monitoring the classroom brimming with satisfied customers and nodded. She had been put in charge of management of the maid cafe and things were definitely going smoothly.

"Haruko-senpai!"

An energetic young girl with light pink hair wearing the normal school uniform came running up to Haruko and saluted her.

"I've taken care of all of the reservations!"

"Is that so? Good work Uruchi-san, you've done an excellent job"

"Yes!"

The girl replied much more energetically than Haruko had expected as the latter smiled awkwardly. Her name was Uruchi Minaya, a first year student and also a junior member of the Maken-Ki. It was already a well known fact that she harboured an enormous crush on Haruko and wouldn't hide the fact that she was only interested in women. To her, men just weren't worth chasing after as they were too idiotic and lacked any form of grace.

Haruko reached into her buxom and pulled out a small notepad. She flipped the book open and used the pen in her hand to cross out some words written on it.

"Great, now that we've already finished recording the reservations, all that's left is too serve the customers and then we can proceed with heading to the Himekagura battle grounds"

By decree of the student council and faculty, the showdown between Team Yamato Takeru and Team Tenbi would take place at 12:30 pm behind the gymnasium. The nature and rules of the first event would be declared at the scheduled time so as not to give either team an advantage over the other.

"We'll win for sure, Haruko-senpai!"

Haruko couldn't have agreed more as she nodded towards her excited junior "Definitely."

"Hehe~❤ , it seems you two are ready for anything"

Haruko and Uruchi turned their heads to the source of that bubbly yet oddly charming voice and were greeted by Celia Ootsuka. Instead of wearing the usual maid outfit the girls were wearing, she was suited in a tuxedo and acted as one of the butlers of the cafe.

Haruko was the first to question the Venus officer's odd choice in attire. "Celia-san, why are you wearing that?"

"Hm? Oh this?" She glanced downwards to her outfit and smiled sweetly. "It's more fun to attract girls dressed as a man then like a girl~❤ "

"...I see"

Only Celia could have come up with that sort of logic.

"Anyway, how long do we have to be here for?" Celia slightly pouted. "I really want to go out and tour the festival with Takeru-kun"

An annoyed twitch came from Haruko at seeing Celia mentioning Takeru's name again while Uruchi looked at Celia as if she was crazy.

"What's so great about that loser?"

Haruko looked even more annoyed at Uruchi's negative opinion of Takeru but before she could saying anything, Celia beat her to it.

"He has his own charm, though I wouldn't expect a little kid like you to understand"

"Take that back! I'm not a kid!"

Uruchi growled at the now smiling Celia while Haruko ignored the two bickering girls and remembered something.

"I heard that Takeshi-ojisan had come here and already spoke with Take-chan. I wanted to go say my respects but I've been so busy with student council work"

"Your uncle came here?"

Uruchi had somehow honed in on what Haruko was saying and beamed up at her.

"Yea, Yuuka-san informed me yesterday that Takeshi-ojisan had come to visit the school with a guest of his"

Celia joined in as well. "Oh! I've heard about that too! There's been all kind of rumours going around about a hot new visitor that your uncle brought"

Uruchi looked rather displeased at that news and frowned while crossing her arms. "I bet he's just another annoying pervert. Either that or some narcissist like that Akaya guy from Venus"

Celia laughed wholeheartedly when Uruchi said that and was of the same opinion about her commander. "The captain is definitely like that, but that's what makes him so funny"

"Still, it would be nice to greet a guest of Oji-san's. Uncle isn't one to visit often so whoever it is must be someone worthy of such respect"

Uruchi huffed. "We'll see, if he's an acquaintance of your uncle, who's the father of that worthless pervert, then I wouldn't hold my breath"

"I'm not interested in any other guys aside from Takeru-kin, but I wouldn't mind seeing another hottie around here~ "

"Who's a hottie? You can't be talking about that monkey faced pervert?"

Haruko sighed as she clapped her hands and tried to get things back on track.

"Girls please, you can freely talk about the guys when we have the time. Let's finish our shifts and then get ready for the battle later, alright?"

"Of course! You can leave it to me Haruko-senpai!"

"Mkay~"

The three of them went back to work and were focused on finishing their assigned tasks as the clock drew ever so closer the eventual showdown against Otohime and her squad.

* * *

While the festival was still going on at Tenbi Academy, the area near the Oyama Dojo that had been damaged from yesterday's bout between Nagi and Minori was undergoing repair from agents sent by Yomatsuri. Any and all incidents that would throw off the secrecy of ability users needed to be dealt with and once they had seen that half of a freaking mountain had gone missing, they had mobilized immediately.

Among those sent was a duo who had been assigned to managing the reconstruction and they were seen observing the destroyed forest area near the entrance of Takeshi's dojo.

"Just what kind of monster could do such damage?"

The first to speak was the acting commander of the Venus Academy Special Forces, Akaya Kyoudai as he dramatically brushed a strand of his brown hair out of his eyes. When he had heard the report from his old sensei that he needed to help rebuild something, he wasn't expecting _this_ level of damage at all.

"Captain, I've looked around the dojo and everything seems to be in one piece"

Akaya turned his head towards his approaching subordinate and a member of Venus, Yan-Min who was wearing a crimson uniform and had her hair done in a Chinese bun style.

"That's a relief, even though sensei told me the dojo was fine, it wouldn't hurt just to check"

Focusing back at the task at hand, Akaya and Yan-Min were both extremely curious to know about the person who could not only defeat Minori but also do so in such an overwhelming way.

"What do you think, Yan-Min?"

"This man must be quite powerful, to an extent that is far greater than even S-Class ability users"

"That's quite the assessment; do you think he'd be a worthy adversary to fight?"

Akaya knew Yan-Min's personality very well; she couldn't resist a good fight no matter what. If the rumors of a strong person ever made it to her ears, she would stop at nothing to track them down and challenge them.

"I'm... not too sure. If this was the result of him using a Maken, then defeating him shouldn't be much of a problem if I can stop him from activating it"

"That's true, but don't you think there's a possibility that he could keep up with you, even without his Maken?"

Yan-Min's fists trembled as a menacing grin appeared on her face. "That's what I'm intending to find out. I'll have to check him out for myself to see if he's good enough to be another one of my rivals"

Akaya shook his head, clearly disappointed at seeing such an attitude from one of his subordinates. Why did all of the girls under his employ have to be so focused on fighting or being soldiers? Weren't girls around her age supposed to care more about getting boyfriends and shopping?

" _Wait, isn't that kind of sexist? I probably shouldn't mention that_..."

A ringing sound could then be felt coming from Akaya's left pocket and he reached inside there and pulled out his cell phone. He raised it to his ear and spoke.

"Talk to me"

" _Captain? Ah, where have you been? The main event is almost about to start, are you trying to miss it?"_

"Oh, sorry about that Minerva. We've been a bit busy with the reconstruction. After we're finished here, we'll head over there so tell sensei and Celia not to worry"

" _Alright then, I'll keep monitoring Koshii and Hai for any strange activities. See ya soon~"_

The connection cut off and Akaya stuck his phone back in his pocket and proceeded to walk forward.

"Captain, where are you going?"

He turned and smiled softly. "Seems Otohime and her girls are about to start the show, I'm interested to see if the guy who fought Minori will be there"

A glint of excitement could be seen coming from Yan-Min's eyes and she rushed after him. "You can count me in as well"

As the two of them made their way towards the academy, Akaya sneezed unexpectedly and rubbed his nose.

Weird, someone must have bee talking about him.

* * *

 **A/N: Been awhile since I've updated. Life's been getting quite busy so the chapter speed has slowed down. Thanks for all the support and I hope you guys enjoyed it.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: The Might of the Third Years**

* * *

The Himekagura Festival currently taking place at Tenbi Academy was becoming livelier by the minute as a flood of students made their way across campus to explore the various booths and shops. This year's opening day was easily the most successful in terms of sales by far when compared to the previous years. It made sense when you thought about it; the school had just recently become a co-ed school with the male to female ratio being slightly favoured towards the males for less than innocent reasons.

In other words, there were horny male students who wanted to get into a school with pretty young girls.

If this were a normal high school, that may have been a problem that could have led to legal issues but anyone who knew what kind of institute Tenbi Academy truly was would know that trying to force your "love" onto the girls here was the equivalent of sticking your head into an alligator.

Speaking of suicidal attempts, one had already been attempted by a naive male student who had fallen in love with a new female transfer student and challenged her to an official duel. What amounted from the "duel" was an instant knockout, courtesy of the female student who had gathered quite a few number of admirers from both genders as she cocked her head to the side in a confusing manner, apparently unaware of why or how she had gathered so much attention.

"Hey, who is that? She's hot!"

"I don't know man... but did you see here take down that guy with one kick? She's a badass"

"She's so beautiful... I want her to be my older sister"

Whispers and murmurs came from all around as she the woman in question sighed deeply.

" _This is... quite troubling..."_

Isabella Garett, the 1st princess of the Garett family and a new transfer student at Tenbi Academy had just defeated her first opponent with no problems and tried to leave the crowded area. She had only tried to look around the campus for a bit after having been formally introduced to the school and getting a good night's rest in her quarters. The first thing she wanted to do in the morning was locate her sensei and Nagi, but naturally she had no luck in either of those departments and somehow ended up in this duel with a buffoon.

"Wow, you're quite the fighter aren't you, Isabella-san?"

That voice came from Kimmy Sato who walked beside Isabella and had accompanied her throughout most of the day. Though she had her duties to fulfill as a member of the Maken-Ki, the student council president Furan had allowed her to show Isabella around for awhile and let her enjoy the festival.

Isabella briskly shook her head to deny the claim. "I'm nothing special. That man was just extremely weak so he made me look better than I actually am"

As always, Isabella was quick to showcase her humbleness but that's what made her more comfortable to be around. At least, that's what Kim thought.

"You don't have to be so modest, I can tell you've trained hard and your moves reflect it. I'm really envious of you"

An eyebrow was raised by Isabella. "Are you not a part of the student council? Surely you must possess impressive strength to have earned a spot there?"

Kimmy shook her head. "Everyone thinks that you have to be this super tough fighter to become a member but that's completely wrong. My skills rely more on my Maken and my talents outside of battle such as financing and managing. Really, those are the only things I'm good at"

She wasn't being modest; out of all the Maken-Ki members, Kimmy was easily the weakest in terms of pure combat. That didn't bother her in the slightest though, as with members like Haruko and Himegami who were both powerhouses, Kimmy's talents shined even brighter.

"Is that right? Well excuse me for assuming the way I did, I'm sure Kim-san is an remarkable and valuable member of the team in her own way"

A light blush was faint on Kimmy's face at such praise and she rubbed the back of her head and giggled. To her, it felt tingly inside when she was complimented. Especially from such a beauty!

Changing the subject, Isabella's eyes darted in various directions as she kept on high alert for any signs of her sensei or Nagi. "I wish those two would have told me where they were going yesterday" A tint of red then enveloped Isabella's cheeks "I really wanted to explore the festival with them"

Kimmy giggled. "I'm sure we'll find them, Takeshi-sensei's pretty famous around here and Nagi-san is... well, his fan club will probably try to find out what he's up to"

Isabella stopped walking.

"Fan club?"

"That's right; there are several fan clubs for high ranking students in our school that are both strong and beautiful. The normal students really admire and look up to them. If I remember correctly, Himegami-san and Haruko-san both have one along with Celia-san from Venus and Aki-sensei who's called the sexy nurse"

"That's amazing... wait, so Nagi-san already has one of those fan clubs?"

Kimmy smiled as she noted that Isabella seemed to be worried about the fact that Nagi could be surrounded by numerous girls. How adorable.

"Definitely. Nagi-san is really handsome after all so it's not a surprise. Everyone's talking about him, even how he was seen walking around with both the principal and Aki-sensei yesterday and looked awfully close with them"

A sense of worry clouded Isabella's face at the thought of such beautiful woman hanging around Nagi. She had been introduced to both the principal and Aki yesterday and was rendered speechless by their... rather endowed assets. She looked down at herself and was certain she wasn't lacking at all in appeal, but having seen those monsters... she was quickly losing confidence in herself. Not to mention, she wasn't even aware of Nagi's type so that troubled her even further.

Kimmy interjected while Isabella still thinking "As for me, I've never been interested in stuff like fan clubs. If they've got time to waste making a club about another person's life, they should be spending it reading some manga" Kimmy's eyes then seemed to start gleaming as she turned to Isabella with starry eyes. "By any chance, are you interested in manga?"

A cold sweat fell from Isabella's back as she recalled the words of advice she had gotten from the student council president regarding Kimmy's manga obsession.

" _If Kimmy ever starts talking about manga, change the subject immediately. I'm warning you, you'll regret it otherwise"_

"K-Kimmy-san, don't you think we should head towards the gymnasium where the match between our team and Otohime's team should start soon?"

"You're right!"

Kimmy suddenly grabbed Isabella's hand and dragged her off, unbeknownst of the sigh of relief coming from Isabella at having successfully dodged a bullet.

They weren't the only ones, more than half of the entire student population had began to gather behind the gymnasium where the official clash between the two teams was about to begin. The clock was ticking and everyone was becoming nervous on how the battle was going to turn out and who would emerge victorious.

* * *

Minori, Aki, and Gen had already woken up and left Nagi and Takeshi, both of whom had overslept, back at the dorms while they had begun the preparations of the duel. Gen mentioned he had some business to deal with and would Tenbi Academy for a bit, leaving Minori and Aki to sort out the team selection for the first event. Several members of the Maken-Ki had gathered in the back room of the gymnasium and were trying to think of their strategy for the game.

"So, is everyone satisfied with this line up?"

Minori asked that question to all those present as a resounding nod came from all of them to signify no disagreements. The battle would be a three on three competition so they were forced to choose their three most suitable combatants for the nature of the game known as "Net Ball". They had decided to compete fairly and chose the game they were participating in at random from a list of games collected by the student body.

Azuki Shinatsu, one of the competitors of the upcoming battle pounded her fist into her palm and grinned. "I can't wait to show that damn bitch Otohime how we at Tenbi get down. I'll knock that smug girl off her high horse"

Kai Kurigasa, who was also competing, nodded. "I agree Azuki-san, if we work together we'll be sure to win!"

"Hey, what about me? I'm fighting too ya know!" Takeru Oyama, the last and final competitor whined as he rubbed his head.

Aki, who still wasn't completely convinced that these three would be the best choices, whispered over towards Minori. "Hey, are you sure about this?"

"Sure about what?"

"The teams obviously, I can understand Azuki-san but Takeru-kun and Kurigasa-kun are both freshman. Those third years girls aren't opponents they can take lightly you know, especially since Otohime will be on their side..."

Minori seemed rather annoyed at Aki questioning her judgment and frowned. "Quit nagging me, you're not my father. Besides, those three have all become much stronger since the beginning of the semester, they'll be fine"

"But..."

"No buts Aki! Trust in my judgment, it's never been wrong!"

Minori grinned as she gave her friend a thumbs up, not noticing the continuing worry spread on Aki's face. How many times had Aki suffered through so much after Minori had given her the "smile and thumbs up" pose?

Then, a soothing voice came from the student council president, Furan Takaki who walked forward and smiled towards Aki.

"Worry not Aki-sensei, this battle is just a distraction from our main goal. Even if we don't win, we'll make sure to capture Otohime and her girls as soon as the opportunity presents itself"

"But isn't that kind of going against what the duel stands for?"

Azuki snorted as she crossed her arms. "And you think those bitches are going to play fair? They've probably got some kind of scheme ready as a backup plan so we should do the same"

Everyone agreed on that statement wholeheartedly after seeing what kind of person Otohime truly was.

With no more complaints, Aki deeply sighed as she rubbed her forehead and then smiled at her students. "Then good luck everyone and please remember that if you ever get hurt, I'll be right here to take care of you~"

As she said that while leaning forward, Takeru and Kurigasa blushed immensely at the exposed cleavage that Aki's low cut blouse was showing. Minori snickered at their reactions but Azuki didn't appreciate such behaviour right before a big game and knocked them both in their heads.

"Are you two okay!?"

Aki's worry was lost on the male duo as they were face down on the floor with bumps on their head.

" _...Why'd she hit us?_ "

"Stay focused on the match you pervs"

Minori couldn't help laugh at Aki's innocent way of getting guys into trouble. It must have been some sort or talent, that or she was doing it on purpose and had the cunningness of a fox.

Sighing as she ignored the beaten boys on the ground, Furan calmly adjusted her glasses and turned to Minori. "By the way principal, I heard Takeshi-sensei and a friend of his came to the school yesterday. Where are they?"

"That's right, I also heard about that. Are they touring the festival?"

In the face of both Azuki's and Furan's questioning gazes, Minori scratched her cheek awkwardly and avoided their gazes.

"They... uh... kinda slept in"

"...Huh?"

She grumbled "...Those two idiots forgot to wake up and we left them..."

"..."

An uncomfortable silence passed within the hallway as Azuki and Furan both looked disbelieving at the principal who tried to ignore their stares.

"They slept in... on such an important day?"

"Well..."

Before Minori could answer, Aki had decided to intervene as a devious grin appeared on her face.

"It seem Nagi-san was incredibly tired after having gone a round with Minori last night, so you'll have to excuse his absence"

"A-Aki!"

The now flustered Minori immediately glared at her close friend who playfully stuck her tongue out of her mouth. Aki had been suspicious about Minori's attitude yesterday whenever someone mentioned Nagi and her reaction just now confirmed it. Her tomboy best friend finally had a crush on someone! Exploiting this golden piece of news was something Aki was prepared to do indefinitely.

Minori then turned her sights to Azuki and Furan who, for a lack of better words, looked exasperated by what she just said.

"Uhm... principal?"

"Don't listen to what she's saying; I never did anything of the sort!"

"Oh? So are you saying you and Nagi-san _didn't_ clash yesterday in a bout of hot passion?"

She then grinned maliciously towards Minori who flinched at the rather accurate, if not misleading question.

"No! I-I-I mean we kinda did but, stop saying it like that! You're confusing them!"

Aki was having far more fun with this teasing session than she thought possible and laughed earnestly as Minori was freaking out. Azuki and Furan traded odd looks between each other, wondering what in the world was going on.

After Minori had calmed down and gotten Aki to shut up with a deathly glare, she crossed her arms and extended her fist towards the four students standing before her.

"Anyway! I'm counting on you brats so go out there and win!"

"Right!"

They met her fist bump with each of their own and proceeded to the open curtains behind the gymnasium, prepared to give it all they got.

* * *

With the festival's main event drawing closer and closer, the number of students flooding around the gymnasium was bound to increase as the students kept piling in. Shortly before that however, there were still many smaller but just as popular class events going on during the festival. The maid cafe hosted by members of the Maken-Ki was a smashing hit and in its glee of success, several other cafe's had opened to match them.

Among those cafe's, one of them in particular was becoming ridiculously popular due to the appearance of a heavenly beauty that had appeared not too long ago to enjoy a cup of tea. Her elegant figure sitting down gracefully, legs crossed over one another and hand on her lap was truly a sight to behold among the freshman students and even sophomores.

One male student gulped internally as he was too dazzled by her beauty to think straight. "O-Oi, who is that!?"

"I...I don't know but she's smoking hot..."

"Isn't she one of the third years participating in the battle today against Team Tenbi?"

"Oh! You're right, but what was her name again?"

Yes, the one sitting down and now sipping her warmly brewed cup of tea was none other than Love Espada of Team Otohime. Her sharp eyes which had been closed not too long ago slightly opened as they slid over to the several male students gazing lustfully at her, a seductive smile now appearing on her face.

"Ah! S-S-She's looking at me!"

"Get real idiot, she's glancing at me!"

As the two bickered, Espada let out an innocent chuckle as she continued to sip her tea.

" _How precious, men fighting over my attention..."_

Espada could never understand the inner workings of men such as them, arguing over such a trivial thing. As for why she was here at this particular moment, she had decided to check out the festival herself as Otohime allowed her and the rest of the third years to separate for a short while before the tournament. They were given free reign over what to do and Espada had chosen to drink some tea and look to see if any prospering candidates would appear.

And by candidates, she meant any suitable men that she could battle against in the hopes of making her heart burst into flames at the sheer excitement of fighting a worthy adversary. Just the mere thought of encountering someone like that made Espada tingle with glee and a wicked smile appeared on her face but she instantly regained her composure and sighed.

Having said all of that, her search had been rather unsuccessful so far as no one of interest had popped onto her radar since the moment she entered the classroom. Even though she was the center of attention and was approached by a countless number of male freshman and butlers, all of them smitten by her radiance; none of them were worth sparing a second glance.

Of course, the females that piqued Espada's interest were a different matter entirely as she had no qualms with having a little "fun" with any cute girl before her match began.

Suddenly, Espada felt a vibration coming from her inner thighs and slightly moaned as she savoured the invigorating sensation. Before she completely lost herself in her pleasure, she coughed and reached for the device, placing it next to her ear. It was a communication device given to all of Otohime's subordinates that allowed for quick and swift commands to be issued. As for the reason Espada had attached it to her thigh... well, that was a story for another time

" _Espada, can you hear me?_ "

The voice that spoke was soft and reeked of nobility.

"Yes, quite clear in fact Otohime-dono"

" _I trust you have taken care of your personal affairs?"_

"For the most part, the festival has been enjoyable so far so am I grateful for you allowing me to take part in it"

" _I'm glad to hear it. I called just to inform you that the match will begin shortly and you're the only one left that has yet to return_ "

"Oh? It seems that I had gotten carried away. I will return shortly"

" _Please do so; I'm expecting great results from you, Espada"_

"I live to please"

Just as Espada thought the communication was over and was about to end the signal, Otohime's reluctant voice came through again.

"...Espada... by any chance... you aren't putting the communication device inside your thighs again... right?"

"..."

"..."

"I'll be returning shortly"

The communication ended immediately and Espada got up from her seat, leaving a couple of tickets on the table and made her way out the door.

"Please come back again!"

Several maids and butlers bowed deeply towards the stunning beauty leaving their store, almost melting in admiration as the woman winked at them.

Espada's leave of the classroom caused a huge ruckus among the students standing in the hallway as they all moved out of the way to allow her passage. To them, Espada was a woman of untouchable beauty that very few could match in their school. Even if she was fighting for Otohime's side, there wasn't a man in the school who would hate her for it. In fact, it made her even more desirable as the idea of Espada being a "villain" had a strange charm to it.

As she ignored the passing glances of obvious lust and admiration thrown her way, Espada's eyes were darting all over the place as she observed the countless men gazing at her.

" _It's a shame all of these men are not only weak but also plain looking..."_

Espada wasn't a lesbian; she was just as interested in men as she was women, despite what the rumours might have said. There were just very few men that appealed to a woman of her tastes, as she preferred strong and confident men, with looks being a negotiable factor. Even if a man wasn't anything special in the looks department, if his strength was noteworthy, Espada wouldn't hesitate to bed him.

" _I've heard rumours of Takeru Oyama and how he fought on par with Ouken-sama_... _I'll have to see for myself today if he's worthy of my attention_ "

Passing a nearby corner that would take her to the first floor where she would join her teammates, the gathering of a large group of girls piqued Espada's interest and she briskly walked towards them.

" _What's this...?"_

It was a strange sight to behold as they were all wearing the same coloured crimson t-shirts, with matching headbands, glow sticks, and a large banner sign that read in bold letters "NAGI FAN-CLUB".

" _A... fanclub? Well that's not strange in itself considering even I have one... but I've never heard of a person with that name before. Is she a new student here?_ "

Fan clubs were indeed a common sight in Tenbi Academy and there were new groups made almost every year. When Espada was still a student, she had easily become the most famous maiden in the school and had gathered the largest fan club in the school's history. Even to this day, there were still members of that group that worshiped her as if she was some sort of goddess.

However, the amount of women gathered here in this hallway was enough to even rival her own fan club. She honestly didn't care about any of that but it was definitely an interesting sight for her, who could only guess what kind of beauty could produce such a thing.

Curious, she stepped forward and grabbed the shoulders of one of the girls in the back who was cheering the loudest.

"Excuse me; I'd like to ask you something"

"Hah!? Can't you see that I'm...Ehhh!? Espada-senpai!?"

The surprised woman nearly had a heart attack as the former idol and goddess of Tenbi Academy was standing right next to her, a beautiful and charming smile gracing her lips.

"I'd like you to answer my question, is that alright?"

Espada's sense of personal space had practically become non-existent as she was mere inches away from the flustered student who flinched when Espada has caressed her soft cheeks with her hand. She stroked it softly and leaned her face in, being close enough to see deep into the woman's' eyes.

"Y-Y-Yes? A-Anything you'd like, I'll do it!"

" _Sometimes this is too easy..._ "

Espada had her right where she wanted and asked a simple question.

"Who is this fan club for?"

"Oh! Of course, t-this fanclub is for a new instructor called Nagi! W-Well, we actually don't have confirmation that he's a real instructor here but we saw him walking with a former instructor so that's where the rumour started. The ones who created this fan club are the only girls who have seen him so the rest of us are really curious to know what he looks like"

"Is that so..."

Well, that was a surprise.

For the person who Espada assumed was a gorgeous female that she could have possibly had some fun with too instead be a gorgeous male of all things. How... incredibly lucky!

A sinister smile crept upon Espada's face, as the thought of "devouring" a male after such a long time was an irresistible treat. The only thing left to confirm now was if this Nagi was as formidable as he was impressive to these girls in his appearance.

While Espada was thinking that, she barely noticed the female student who was still flustered at being this close with her. Deciding to "reward" the girl for her efforts, she leaned in and planted a wet kiss on the girl's forehead and stroked her cheek once more.

"You're a good girl; I'll play with you later"

"E-E-E-Ehhh!?"

She almost fainted after hearing those words and could only watch Espada walk away in a graceful manner, completely unaware of the true inner thoughts of the one who was known as the strongest maiden in Tenbi.

* * *

"Damn it!"

"Hey, slow down old man!"

As the festival's main event was only moments away from starting, two individuals were seen running across the school grounds in a flash. Since the battle between Tenbi and Otohime's squad was the talk of the school, nearly everyone had shut down their booths and finished playing their games to go and watch behind the gymnasium.

Unfortunately, that didn't include these two who had slept in and had forgotten all about it.

"Why didn't anyone wake us up!?"

Takeshi was noticeably grumpy this morning as he had planned to tour around the school festival before the main event began and visit all of the cute shops with maid girls. His plans however, had been utterly ruined thanks to no one waking him up so it wasn't a surprise that he wasn't in the happiest of moods.

A faint yawn escaped Nagi's mouth as he kept up pace with Takeshi. "Doubt it would have mattered, you sleep like a rock old man"

"I don't want to hear that from you!"

Nagi's attitude was far more lax compared to Takeshi's, as the red haired man didn't look troubled in the slightest. To him, getting a good night's rest after having traveled through another dimension after facing off against one of his monster like friends was much more important than some battle between school kids.

" **[Attention all students!]** "

Just then, the sound of a woman's voice echoed throughout the campus as Takeshi and Nagi stopped abruptly.

Nagi frowned. "What's that?"

"It's the school speaker; the person who's talking on the other side can transmit their voice all around Tenbi just by speaking into a microphone"

"Huh, how neat" A spark of interest escaped Nagi's voice as he listened to Takeshi's explanation.

" **[The main event for today featuring the duel between Team Tenbi and Team Yamato Takeru will begin shortly. Please make your way towards the gymnasium; you don't want to miss this!]"**

After the transmission had cut off, Takeshi's eyes wandered all over the place at trying to find where the gymnasium was. His memory was playing tricks on him again but he was too prideful to admit that too Nagi, who had long since figured it out himself.

"Old man..."

Takeshi gulped internally at the annoyed gaze coming from Nagi and frantically pointed in a random direction. "L-Look! See, I didn't get lost again!"

An annoyed twitch came from Nagi's eyebrow. "Oh? You want to explain to me then how the gymnasium suddenly got outside the entrance of the school?

Takeshi reluctantly looked in the direction he had pointed too and sure enough, his hand was aiming towards the entrance. An embarrassing silence followed as Takeshi ruffled his air and avoided eye contact with Nagi who was beginning to lose his patience.

Sighing, Nagi decided to screw what was considered "conventional" and grabbed Takeshi's shoulder, causing the older man to flinch.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Shut up, we're doing it my way now"

Activating his magic, Nagi's and Takeshi's bodies began to levitate off of the ground and in one quick burst; they took off through the air.

"W-Whoa!"

Takeshi was beyond amazed at experiencing such a thing as the wind blew in his face and he watched the ground beneath get further and further away.

"A-Are we really flying?"

Nagi turned back to Takeshi at hearing such a stupid question. "Well duh, didn't you see me floating in the air with Minori yesterday?"

"Well yea but still... this is amazing"

When Nagi was able to do things like these, he really did seem like a magician from the fairy tales that kids used to read growing up. Well, minus his personality and absurd strength.

As the two glided through the air, Nagi's eyes wandered aimlessly in search of the gymnasium that he had yet to visit. He didn't know what it looked like but he was confident that all he had to do was look for a large gathering of people and he'd have his answer.

Right on cue, Nagi's eyes found an enormous group of students standing behind a large building with several monitors placed on the walls.

"I'm guessing that's the place"

Takeshi, who was still enjoying his time in the sky, followed Nagi's eyes and nodded. "That's it"

Nagi grinned. "Awesome, we'll land over on that building to get the best seats in the house"

They landed on a building right beside the gymnasium and walked forward towards the building's edge; where they sat down to get a good viewing of the battle about to take place.

"Well I'll be damned, I didn't think there would be this many people here. Practically the entire school must be here"

"Is that so? _Munch... Munch..._ "

"Can't you at least _try_ to seem intereste-"

Takeshi paused for a second, eyes darting back to the figure of Nagi who was digging into a black bento with golden ornaments decorated all over it. The contents of the box were filled with scrumptious delicacies, such as rice cakes, sliced chicken, and baked pork buns.

Takeshi asked the obvious question.

"Where'd you get that?"

Nagi answered immediately. "It was in front of the door of our room when I left with my name attached to it. Dunno who made it but I'm not one to turn down free food"

"..."

As Takeshi stared blankly at Nagi, who continued to stuff his face, the rumour of Nagi having a fan club popped into the older man's head. Takeshi, for all of his popularity and reputation among those in Tenbi, never had a fan club of his own so it left a bitter taste in his mouth at seeing Nagi obtain one on his first day at the school alongside a homemade lunch, no doubt made by a bunch of cute girls.

He was shaken from his thoughts when Nagi shoved the bento in front of his face as he continued to munch on a rice cake. "You want some?"

Though Takeshi's pride would have made him reject it immediately, he was hungry so he told his pride to screw off.

"If you don't mind"

As such, the two enjoyed the wonderfully prepared meals of the bento and watched as both teams emerged from their respective base camps while the announcers began introducing them.

" **[Alright! Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome the annual Himekagura Festival Main Event! We'll be starting off today's battle between Team Tenbi and Team Yamato Takeru with the event known as Net Ball!]"**

"Oooh! Net ball is it? Haha, this should be exciting?"

Nagi wasn't following Takeshi's excitement and cocked his head. "Netball?"

"Oh that's right; you've never participated in the festivals before so you wouldn't know. I'll explain it simply so try to pay attention"

Though Nagi didn't appreciate the fact that Takeshi was treating him like an idiot, he nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"Net Ball is a game where there are three players on each opposing side, with the stage that they play on being marked by a large rectangle, kind of like soccer. There are three positions; jumper, attacker, and defender that all play different roles in the game but you'll see that soon enough. In the middle of the stage is a ball that will be launched into the air by an air compression machine, where the jumper has to get it and pass to their team mates. The ball can't touch the floor otherwise its other team's ball and you have to coordinate with your team mate to get the ball into the net that the defender is blocking"

"Hoh..."

If Nagi wasn't interested before, he definitely was now as he whistled in amazement at such a simple but fun sounding game.

Takeshi wasn't finished explaining as he grinned. "That's not all, as the ball is in play; physical combat is allowed to throw your enemies off. With the pressure of not allowing the ball to touch the ground along with watching out for enemy strikes, it truly is a fascinating game to watch"

"It does sound intriguing, I'll admit. Wait, isn't that kid standing over there your son?"

Nagi pointed towards the figure of Takeru smiling with his hands on his hips, causing Takeshi to smile contently.

"Yea, that little fellow is a chip off the old block. Let's go Takeru! Daddy's watching you!"

Takeru, who was itching to start the game, shuddered as his body squirmed and he looked in all directions to the source of displeasure he just felt.

As she was in the middle of her stretches, Azuki noticed Takeru's odd behaviour and raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? You getting cold feet already?"

Takeru shook his head and pounded his fist. "Not at all, I'm ready to get started any time!" He then turned to Kuragasa, whose entire body almost filled the net. "Right, Kai?"

Nodding in agreement, the towering freshman known as Kuragasa Kai roared loudly. "If it's for Azuki-san, I'll devote my all to it!"

"Swell, now stop getting distracted and focus. Our enemies are just about ready"

On the other side, Espada, Kajiru, and Hoshii were all standing in a group and glaring down Team Tenbi as they were given orders by Otohime herself to win the match at all costs. Espada herself flicked a strand of her lavish blonde hair out of her eyes and smirked seductively.

"I'm excited to see what our opponents are capable of, especially that boy over there" She then glanced over towards her partner Hoshii who was sucking on a lollipop. "Hoshii, what's the data we have on him?"

"Hmm? Nothing much, I watched him over the past twenty four hours and aside from his power level being slightly above average and his blood pointer ability, there isn't anything else worth mentioning"

"Hmm..."

Espada's expectations for Takeru had slightly lowered upon hearing that but she still held onto some hope that he'd be able to match her once the game started.

"What's your take on him, Kajiru?"

Kajiru Sorana, the rather large and obese high school that covered just as much of the net as Kai did shrugged her shoulders. "He doesn't seem all that special, but Otohime-san said not to underestimate him as he has a troublesome ability"

Espada nodded. "Blood Pointer, the ability to absorb element from anyone standing close to the user. It is indeed a fascinating ability... but that won't matter as I will show him a strength he won't a chance to utilize"

" _There's also that Nagi person I'll have to investigate once this match is over..._ "

As her thoughts drifted, the announcement table spoke once again.

" **[Ladies and Gentleman! Are you ready to begin this year's Himekagura Festival Net Ball Event!?]"**

The crowd watching through the monitor erupted into hysteria as they were eagerly anticipating the match to start. Among them, several of the Maken-Ki was gathered there, along with allies from both Yomatsuri and Venus.

Haruko was noticeably worried about her juniors going up against her seniors as she watched the figure of Takeru on the screen.

"I hope Take-chan will be alright"

"He'll be fine Haruko-san! Takeru-san is strong!" Inaho reassured her with a prideful smile on her face.

"Yea! Don't worry Haruko-senpai! That idiot is as tough as a cockroach, I'm sure he'll worm his way through!"

"T-Thanks Uruchi-san"

Despite being slightly put off by the way Uruchi had worded that last part about Takeru with that same innocent smile on her face, Haruko felt slightly better.

"Hahaha! Don't worry, Azuki's there with em so they'll be fine"

Chacha's brimming voice spoke as she looked just as cheerful and anxious as ever. Haruko couldn't share in her enthusiasm as her memory of how powerful her seniors were still lingered freshly in her mind.

"Takeru and Kai, those lucky bastards...!"

Usui's voice took Haruko's attention away as she noticed the obvious signs of contempt and jealously filling the younger boy's eyes.

"I wanted a chance to show off my good side to Himegami-senpai but why do they get all of the attention?"

Haruko gave him an awkward smile. "Is that the only reason you want to fight for our team?"

"O-Of course not, Haruko-senpai! I also want to fight for all of the cute girls and win their affections! Himegami-senpai just comes as a priority to me, ya know?"

"How lucky for me..."

That dry voice alerted everyone's attention as they watched Himegami herself walk towards them from behind Chacha.

Usui practically tried to tackle her as he jumped into the air. "Himegami-senpai! I missed you so- Uoof!"

Not a second later, Usui's face was buried into the ground with Himegami's leg firmly planted on top of it, with her neutral face conveying her disinterest in dealing with the pest. Rather, her eyes seemed keen of finding someone else as they darted from corner to corner in a hurried fashion, like a lost child looking for its mother.

"What's wrong Himegami-chan?" Haruko asked rather confusedly.

"Huh? Oh... nothing, I was just looking for someone... a certain idiot that I need to payback"

"...Who's that?"

No one seemed to know who she was talking about until light bulb went off inside Chacha's head and she pointed towards her.

"Ah! I know! You're looking for that Nagi guy, aren't cha?

"...!"

In the face of Chacha's rather accurate prediction, Himegami was tongue tied as she attempted to avoid confirming the energetic girl's presumptuous declaration.

"N-No... what would make you think I was looking for him...?"

"Oya? Did you forget already how Azuki and I watched you run off looking for him yesterday?"

"... _Damn it"_

Himegami was out of options as she couldn't refute the truth and sighed heavily, scratching her head as she crossed her arms.

"Fine whatever, I admit I was looking for him. That idiot promised me he would fight with us but then claims he won't be participating in the match! Are you happy now?"

"Hahaha, of course! It's nice to know Himegami-chan has got a crush on someone!"

"Eh?"

"Wha!?"

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?"

The surprised voices of Himegami, Haruko, and the rest of the girls nearby were drowned out by Usui, who arose after being planted into the ground, and looked shocked to the core.

"My dear sweet Himegami is in love with that pretty boy asshole!? Damn it all to hell! This just isn't fair!"

"N-No! It's not like that at all you idiot!"

Himegami tried to shut him up as quickly as she could and landed a solid punch towards the hysteric Usui's abdomen, knocking the poor man unconscious as he laid flat on the ground.

" _...Wasn't that a bit harsh?"_

All those presently watching the spectacle wondered the same thing but their attention was then drawn towards the start of the match as the announcer's voice came back in.

" **[Alright folks! It's time to begin the first round of Net Ball! I'm sure you all know how this game works already so we'll skip explaining it and get straight into the opening play! Remember, first team to score a point wins the first game of the series! Jumpers, take your positions!]** "

After each team had designated their respective roles to one another, their jumpers stepped forward and faced each other on opposite sides, with a cylinder shaped machine standing in between them containing a white softball.

"Fufufu, it seems we'll have a chance to play with one another a lot sooner than I expected"

For Otohime's side, Espada was chosen as their jumper as she stood across from Takeru, who was the chosen jumper for Team Tenbi. Takeru gritted his teeth and took a deep breath, not just because a drop dead gorgeous woman was standing right in front of him, but also because he sensed how incredibly powerful she was.

" _So this is Love Espada... the one who was formerly called the strongest maiden for Tenbi before Haruko-chan"_

He felt something similar to this before, when he fought against Ouken Yamato during the summer along with Tesshin Kushiya in the underground cave. The presence of an individual with strength far surpassing an ordinary ability user; it was breath terrifying. Takeru wasn't stupid, he knew very well that the strength he displayed against Ouken wasn't something he could pull out anytime and his ordinary level was only good enough to be ranked at B class. He then turned around, watching his comrade's get into position as they noticed his worried gaze and gave him a thumbs up out of encouragement.

Takeru smirked, confident that he wouldn't let his friend's down as he squatted and prepared to jump.

Espada noticed the boy's change in demeanour and smiled, anticipating a good match between them.

" **[It seems our participants are ready! Let's begin the first round! On your marks! Get set! Go!]** "

The ball immediately was launched from the catapult and flew through the air at an alarming rate. Takeru immediately jumped afterwards and soared towards the ascending ball that showed no signs of slowing down as he reached his hand out to grab it.

"That's it, Takeru!"

"Nice! He's got this!"

"When did he get so fast!?"

The crowd's cheers were clearly in Takeru's favour as he seemed to have improved a great deal to most onlookers who recalled his previous level of strength. Azuki was especially pleased as she watched her junior, whom she took for nothing more than a useless fellow; grow in such a short amount of time.

"Look Haruko-senpai! That idiot is doing something useful! We can-

Uruchi shut her mouth immediately when she noticed Haruko's face produced a horrified expression. Quickly turning back to the monitor, Uruchi's eyes widened in disbelief as she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Takeru, who had almost reached the ball that was beginning to slowly come back down, was confident that he was going to be the first to grab the ball. Just as he thought so-

 _Boing!_

"H-Huh!?"

Instead of grabbing the dense and hard texture of a ball, the sensation that he was feeling in his hand was soft like a marshmallow and felt warm as he firmly grabbed it.

"Haah~❤ I must say Takeru, you're quite bold for playing with my buttons like that"

That sexy and sensual voice came from none other than Love Espada as she had blocked Takeru's reach for the ball and stood in his way right in the middle of the air.

" _B-B-But how! I didn't even see her jump or approach! She closed the distance that quickly!? More than that, her breasts feel too damn good! I want to hold them foreve- no! I have to concentrate on the match_ "

Takeru wasn't the only one in for a shock as all those watching the screen were flabbergasted at Espada's little surprise.

"She's good..."

Even Takeshi wasn't expecting something like that as he momentarily lost track of Espada's movements before she reappeared in front of his son.

"Is she really?"

Takeshi side glanced over to the still munching Nagi who didn't seem fazed by Espada's speed in the slightest. Well, considering his level of strength, it didn't come as that much of a surprise to him.

"She's fast no doubt but your idiot son made the first mistake by not noticing she was trailing him the entire time"

"You could see all that?"

Nagi frowned as he scrunched his face.

"No shit, who hell do you think I am?"

"..."

In the face of Nagi's boasting, Takeshi could only produce a sigh at having met such a strange but unfathomable man as he continued to watch the match.

Takeru tried to snap out of his daze at grabbing Espada's lovely breasts before he let go and grabbed hold of her slender arm.

"You may have taken me for a surprise but I'll have to throw you out of here!"

"Oh? I'd like to see you try~"

Takeru gripped Espada's arm with all the strength he had and planned to spin her around before throwing her out of the arena. Even though he wasn't afraid to fight women anymore, that didn't mean he could still fight them as he would a man and found that the best alternative was too use grappling moves to defeat her.

Of course, such naive thinking was doomed to fail against someone of Espada's stature as she already predicted what he was going to do and moved accordingly. Before Takeru had the chance to throw her, her body twisted swiftly and in a heartbeat, both of her legs wrapped themselves around the boy's face as she had him in a leg hold, with her crotch right in his face.

"Canmfuu bremathe! ( _Can't breathe!_ )"

"Ahhh~❤ , you shouldn't speak. I'm giving you some extra service right now so you have to play fair, okay?"

In the face of such a lucrative woman, Takeru's mind was beginning to go blank as her hold on his face got tighter and tighter until it became hard to breathe. Despite this, Takeru had no wish for this paradise to end as he believed the pain was worth it.

Nagi smiled in a playful manner at watching the scene. "Hah, your son looks like he's enjoying that"

"Hahaha, I would expect no less from him"

Even though his son was in trouble, Takeshi was more concerned about the favourable position Takeru was in.

"Come on Takeru, shake her off!" Azuki shouted.

Hoshii had been rather neutral throughout the entire match but saw an opportunity to score the first point as she yelled at her team mate.

"Oi! Espada, stop playing around and pass me the ball!"

"Oh! That's right; I guess I got a little too excited. Forgive me but I'll have to begin to play seriously"

Takeru shuddered immensely as Espada's killing intent was so visible; he could practically feel it enveloping his entire body as her eyes gleamed dangerously at him. Before he could react, Espada's body twisted downwards as her legs carried Takeru's entire body with it and in one swift motion, she catapulted his body spiralling downwards, crashing into the ground with an enormous explosion that levelled a part of the stage.

"Takeru!"

Azuki and Kuragasa both threw their hands in front of their faces to block the incoming smoke enveloping the stage while they cried out for their no doubt injured team mate.

"Take-chan..."

This is what Haruko was afraid of as she watched the elegant figure of Espada slowly fall to the ground as she held the soft ball in her hand and spun it around on her index finger, smiling in the same seductive manner in which she used to ensnare Takeru. When Espada made a face like that, she was probably the most dangerous person you could ever face.

As the smoke cleared, Takeru's lifeless body was seen fidgeting on the ground as several cuts and bruises were spotted on his uniform. Thankfully, he was still breathing as he struggled to get up but was already forgotten by Espada who threw the ball the running Hoshii, ready to begin their attack on the remaining members of Team Tenbi.

"Alright you bitches, bring it!"

Azuki was prepared for their assault as both Hoshii and Espada ran towards her, passing the ball to one another to distract her. The rules of the game meant that only one person could carry the ball at a time, meaning one of them would try to face Azuki in combat while the other tried to take a shot at their net.

" _Who's it gonna be? Espada or Hoshii?_ "

As her eyes darted from both of their figures trying to ascertain which one to attack, a smug smile graced Otohime's lips as she watched from the audience.

"What a stupid gorilla, does she honestly think we would use such an obvious strategy? My girls already have the winning strategy in place"

"What!?"

Azuki was taken by absolute shock when she saw Espada throw the ball high into the air and then charge at her alongside her teammate Hoshii.

"Ara, did you think we would split our forces? All we need to do is defeat you before the ball hits the ground, right?"

"Y-You...! Don't underestimate me!"

Azuki was furious as she stood her ground and threw a roundhouse kick at Espada who reached her first. Her kick didn't come close to hitting her mark as Espada effortlessly dodged it and closed the distance between them as her face was nearly an inch away from Azuki's.

"Hmm~ you're quite cute, you know that? Makes me want to give you a big kiss but unfortunately, I have to win right now"

"Bitch!"

Azuki tried to punch her but Espada proved that even at such a close distance, Azuki's blows would never hit her as she dodged it again and then flipped right over her. By using Azuki's head as a springboard, Espada's body leaped over her and was in position to land a perfect blow against her neck while Hoshii moved in and pulled back her arm.

" _Shit, a double team!?_ "

"Azuki-san, watch out!"

Kurigasa's cry for his senior was futile as Hoshii and Espada both landed devastating blows against Azuki's stomach and neck simultaneously, causing the fiery red head to cough out blood and drop to the ground, utterly defeated.

"N-No... way"

All those presently watching were unable to comprehend what just occurred as even Chacha; the usual happy and cheerful girl was close to tears watching one of her closest friends be defeated in such a manner.

Only one person was enjoying the spectacle; Otohime was laughing in a condescending manner as she expected no less from her third year squad.

"What a bunch of idiots! Those girls aren't the same ones that they knew when they were still students. Thanks to the technology of Kamigari along with the brainwashing, their element levels have been amplified by over 200 %! At the moment, they're abilities almost exceed even S-Rank, there's no way that stupid gorilla woman could have had a chance against them!"

Listening to Otohime ranting on infuriated the surrounding students to no end but none of them dared to say a word to the granddaughter of Ouken Yamato.

As Espada landed gracefully on the ground, she raised her hand into the air and caught the thrown ball perfectly, with it continuing to spin on her index finger as she produced a frown.

"How disappointing..."

She was thoroughly let down as she expected Takeru and Azuki to have put up more of a resistance, especially after she heard Takeru was the one who had fought Ouken on equal terms. For them both to have been taken out so easily, clearly there must have been a grave misunderstanding on the data she received.

"Mannnn~ this is so troublesome, let's finish this already so I can invest in another stock"

Hoshii's greed was endless as she continued forward to the goal post where Kuragasa was standing. Espada joined her as the two of them slowly closed the distance on the trembling man whose confidence in guarding the net had taken a nose dive.

"Kuragasa-kun, his chances aren't looking too good..."

Aki Nijou, who was watching the match with both Minori and Furan nearby, was worried as she clasped her hands, hoping for his success.

Minori nodded as she ruffled her hair in frustration. "More like impossible, there's no way he'll last against those two monsters"

Even Furan, who was usually known for her composed and calm demeanour looked visibly worried as she had predicted Espada's strength from the beginning.

"It seems we have made a mistake assigning those three as our first wave"

"That's what I said, but Minori over here wouldn't listen to me!"

Minori avoided Aki's piercing glare as she whistled awkwardly. "Che, don't blame me. I didn't think Takeru and Azuki would kick the bucket so fast. Man, this wouldn't have happened if we had Nagi participate!"

Minori was still annoyed that the idiot had slept in and wanted to pound him for his tardiness. Didn't he realize that if they lost this match they could lose their only lead on finding Yamato Takeru!?

"Don't blame Nagi-san for this! He agreed to help us against Kamigari but that doesn't mean he has to fight in matches that we ourselves accepted"

"Well that's true but..."

"You both seem to have a lot of trust in this Nagi person. Is he really as reliable as you claim he is?"

Furan was doubtful of how reliable a man could be as her previous experience with the gender left her view of them a little lacking. However, she wasn't sexist as she would respect those who contributed and did their part.

"Huh? Well... he's a bit of a jerk and he's kinda weird but he's definitely strong! I've verified his strength for myself"

"Verified you say..."

A slight blush appeared on Furan's face as she remembered Aki's phrasing of how Nagi and Minori "verified" each other, causing Minori herself to refute her.

"Not in that way! Jeez, look at what you've caused Aki!"

Aki giggled innocently as her plan at teasing Minori was a success and just as the atmosphere around them was beginning to become light hearted, the sound of the announcer's voice came back on.

" **[Goal! Team Yamato Takeru has scored a goal against Team Tenbi, which makes them the winners of the Net Ball event!]** "

"What!?"

Minori, Aki, and Furan all hastily took a look back at the screen and gasped as they saw the defeated figure of Kuragasa on the floor, clearly unconscious while Espada and Hoshii both stood in front of the net. The match hadn't even lasted longer than a couple of minutes as the students watching couldn't believe how helpless their strongest fighters were against Otohime's squad. Instead of cheering, a dead silence followed those presently watching the screen as no one could believe the results of the match.

Instead, Otohime's laughing was the only thing that could be heard among the crowd of hundreds of students as she and her team had taken the first point of the series and were only one small step away from defeating Team Tenbi and securing the original eight Maken for Yamato Takeru once he had resurrected.

* * *

 **A/N: Things definitely aren't looking good for our guys, how will Nagi respond?**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Nagi's Troublesome Popularity**

* * *

The campus was silent.

No one could have predicted that Team Tenbi would lose in such an embarrassing manner as the defeated figures of Takeru, Kurigasa, and Azuki laid on the ground were broadcast to the entire school. They had been the crowd favorites to win the opening game and seize a victory but the outcome of the battle had completely reared off course and was like a nightmare to the students of Tenbi.

"Takeru..." Takeshi Oyama, Takeru's father whispered in a pitiful tone as he observed his son staggering to stand on his feet. Takeshi was aware that Takeru had slacked off in his training during his time away from the dojo and expected his son to have a few flaws and kinks but what he had just shown him was beyond expectations. Even knowing how powerful the third year students were, Takeru should have not have been defeated that easily if he was on the same level as Haruko, who had always been behind Takeru when they were kids training.

"Wow" Nagi's voice broke Takeshi's thoughts as the red haired man munched on his last pork bun and licked his lips. "Your kid got owned"

A heavy sigh escaped Takeshi's mouth and he grabbed his forehead in exasperation "Yea, he did. It seems his skills have grown rather dull after neglecting his training, such a pity"

Takeshi's dream for Takeru was for him to inherit the dojo when he was old enough and run it together with Haruko, who he knew full well harbored romantic feelings for his son. That plan was starting to look quite grim right now however as he saw the pathetic state his so called heir was in. Even his late wife Atsuma would have been disappointed.

"So what, he stopped training after leaving your dojo? What was he doing?"

Takeshi shrugged as he stood up and stretched "I haven't the foggiest idea. Aside from going to school and reading porn magazines, there isn't anything else I can think of."

"He left your dojo to do crap like that? No wonder the kid's so soft."

"I can't really blame him" Takeshi ruffled his brown hair and sighed "The death of his mother really changed him."

A hidden sadness crept upon Takeshi's face, something which Nagi noted as he had come to sense whenever the man withdrew his emotions from others, and looked downward. He hadn't heard the full story between what happened to his wife and Takeru's mother and honestly, he didn't really care as he wasn't one to pry into other people's lives. It would be a different matter entirely if Takeshi told him but since he didn't seem to be in the mood for talking, Nagi decided it wasn't his duty to find out and wanted to change the topic.

He stood up from his seat and stretched his back "I guess we should go down there and see the kids, I'm sure they'll be pretty disappointed after that performance."

Takeshi recovered from his slump and nodded "Sounds good to me."

With the outcome of the match having already been declared, the festival had resumed its normal activities and students began to disperse from behind the gymnasium to visit the open shops. The only ones who remained at the battle scene where members of the Maken-Ki, along with a member of Venus Academy and the world wide idol, Celia Outsuka.

"Takeru-kun lost..."

Celia had been watching the match in the hopes of getting a chance to see Takeru's "gallant" side that would invigorate her desire to be with him even more, regardless of the fact that she was actually a man. However, her dreams were crushed and her heart was sad as she felt bad for her darling that suffered such a heavy defeat.

"I'll need to comfort him thoroughly to make him get over the loss~❤"

Her motives were drifting off course as she cupped her hands and twirled in a cutesy manner, earning annoyed reactions from Haruko, Uruchi, Inaho, and Himegami.

"Ignoring the pest..." Himegami crossed her arms, pretending not to notice the death glare coming from the ticked off Celia. "Don't you think it's strange how easily they lost?"

"What do you mean, Himegami-san?" Haruko asked with a face fraught with confusion and worry.

"I'll admit, we underestimated the power of those third years and should have picked a better line up for the match... but I can't believe Takeru and Azuki lost that easily"

Chacha tilted her head. "Then what about Kurigasa-kun?"

"Well..." Himegami scratched her cheek "...He went down quicker than I anticipated"

"... _Harsh_ " Several people in the vicinity thought as Himegami's poor assessment of a fellow classmate made them pity the man.

"I... heard that"

All eyes turned around and to their surprise, Kurigasa Kai had gotten on his feet and had made his way over towards the gathering of people, along with Azuki and Takeru who had regained consciousness and were holding parts of their bodies still aching in pain.

"Are you guys alright!?"

Nearly everyone rushed over to tend to their wounds, letting Aki and Minori pass through first as the former was a licensed nurse and would know what to do. Minori observed the painful expressions of her depressed students and frowned, not sure on what to say. She had chosen the line up for the matches, despite Aki's protests, and the outcome wasn't what she had hoped for, nor was expecting. Despite that, Minori didn't regret her decision for a moment; she was a woman who lived life to the fullest and never wanted to leave behind regrets, regardless of the outcome of her poor choices. Still, she felt as if she should have given more thought to Aki's suggestion and possibly switched out Kurigasa or Azuki.

Espada and the other third year girls were a bundle of trouble, even more so now that they were working for Otohime and Kamigari. Their strength was classified at S rank, the highest rank a student could possibly achieve through training and talent alone. Though, there were exceptions to that rule, such as Martha Minerva whose element power surpassed even her own and Ouken's as the girl was born with a once in a generation talent. To say sending two B-rank students and an A-rank student to combat three classified S-ranks was a foolish decision would be rather accurate as Minori scratched her head.

"Shit, I didn't think... Takeru, Azuki, and Kurigasa... I'm sorry. I'll take the blame on this one; you guys clearly weren't ready to handle them"

Everyone was surprised at hearing the tomboy principal apologize as for as long as they had known her, their principal had never apologized for anything, usually making up excuses or throwing a fit and punching something... or unluckily, someone. It was an indication that she truly was sincere in what she was trying to convey.

"Minori..." Aki whispered in a soft tone.

"Hah! Just the words I would have expected from a group of losers"

Rage swelled in Minori's eyes as she glared daggers at the snobbish voice coming from none other than Otohime who approached the Tenbi team with her squad of third years standing behind her. A spark of intensity was created from the two sides facing down one another but Otohime was quick to change the flow in her favor.

"It must be a terrible shame for you all to have competed against us, knowing you didn't stand a chance no matter who you picked. Though I still have to say" She then turned to the angered Minori and sneered. "I didn't expect such an incompetent decision to come from the principal herself. I guess it shows that your enormous rack compensated for you lack of a functioning brain"

"What'd you say, brat!?"

Minori was close to marching over there herself and beating some manners into the slightly startled Otohime but was held back by Aki and Furan.

For all of her tough talk, Otohime was visibly surprised to see Minori get that upset and backed away slowly, though she didn't make it obvious as she didn't want to lose face in front of her enemies.

She then brushed a strand of her silver locks out of her hair and smiled. "I-In any case, we have one victory on our side and will no doubt win the others so make sure you prepare to uphold the bet once we've thrashed you in the other competitions"

The girls of the Maken-Ki didn't react positively to such a provocation and growled at the condescending girl.

"This bitch... I'll get even with your team right now if you want!" Azuki stood up after having been bandaged and took a position to start brawling. The others followed her lead as they all prepared to unseal their Makens at any given minute, not just because they had been disrespected, but also because their team mates who lost were insulted in such a manner caused their bloods to boil.

"W-Wait, everyone!" Furan tried to take control of the situation that was quickly spiraling into a disaster.

Normal students around the campus noticed the face-off between the two sides and quickly gathered into a large semi-circle, awaiting anxiously of what was to come.

" _Hmph, will they really start a fight here? As I expected from a group of tasteless brutes..._ "

Otohime wasn't worried. The Tenbi girls may have outnumbered her and the third years girls but they had prepared an escape barrier just in case before coming over here and could instantly avoid danger if things looked bad. Planning ahead was a philosophy Otohime learned from her grandfather and she hadn't gained her nickname, Otohime the Manipulator, for nothing.

"Hahaha, things are getting quite out of control, aren't they?"

"Looks like they're about to brawl it out right here, this should be fun to watch"

All eyes presently turned towards the approaching duo who had gathered the attention of everyone present in an instant. Takeshi Oyama and Nagi Springfield, they were a pair of men that would cause an uproar on Tenbi wherever they went as Takeru's reputation as an instructor was legendary and Nagi's undeniable charm was intoxicating.

"Oi... isn't that Takeshi-sensei?"

"Who's that hottie over there...? Kyaa! Could he be the one all the girls have been talking about!?"

It didn't take long for whispers and murmurs to break out among the crowd, but Takeshi and Nagi were used to it by now and ignored them as they continued forward. The girls had all been surprised by their late arrival, especially Minori and Himegami who had a few choice words to say to Nagi. For those who had yet met him before, their hearts momentarily skipped a beat at seeing Nagi's face for the first time, having never met such a man whose looks were rated at the highest degree.

"So that's Nagi-san? The one everyone's been talking about?" Haruko said as she was still staring at him, eyes flashing with interest and respect.

Azuki whistled. "Well I'll be, the rumors were true; he's really good looking"

Chacha was of the same opinion. "Wow! Takeru-kun and Usui-kun can't even compare to him!"

Though she was adamant in her feelings against accepting any sort of man, Furan seemed to agree with her classmates as she coughed and adjusted her glasses. "Well, he certainly does seem to look dependable enough"

Uruchi was the only not saying anything as she was unable to admit the faint attraction she felt towards him and huffed away in annoyed manner. Her heart still belonged to Haruko and not even the appearance of a stud would change that! .

"It's sensei and Nagi-san!" Isabella was elated that she got a chance to meet the two of them again as she had arrived to watch the battle with Kimmy not that long ago. The rumors she had heard about Nagi's fanclub appeared in her head and she became a little anxious to speak with him.

Kimmy giggled as she noticed Isabella's reactions, wanting to see how things would play out now that Nagi was the center of attention.

Feeling jealous and annoyed at the girls attention being drawn to Nagi, Usui grunted and quickly tried to win over Himegami before she could meet Nagi as his worries about her falling for him were becoming apparent. "Himegami-senpai, you shouldn't look over-huh?"

Himegami was nowhere to be found as Usui darted his head all around, until Yuuka tapped him on his shoulder. "If you're looking for Himegami-chan, she's over there with the principal and Inaho" She then pointed forward where Usui followed and he gasped in horror as he saw his idol running towards Nagi.

"So, what's going on here?" Takeshi asked no one in particular as the intensity of the battle that was supposed to have occurred died out the moment they arrived.

"Dad... I.." Takeru, who was still holding his shoulder walked towards his father, who saw the state his son was in and patted him on his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic smile.

"You don't have to say it, Takeru. I'm sure you're aware yourself of what you need to do to make up for your defeat"

"...I know"

A touching moment between father and son occurred... well until Himegami, Minori, and Inaho bulldozed their way through Takeru, leaving the poor boy forgotten like a pile of trash and bombarded Nagi and Takeshi on their tardiness.

"Sensei! Where the hell were you at!" Minori's fierce eyes buried themselves into her sensei's.

"Huh? Oh... Sorry, we kind of overslept and got lost on the way... Hahaha"

An annoyed vein popped into Minori's head at Takeshi's lackluster excuse, her attention then drifting to Nagi who she still had trouble looking directly at for... special reasons. In response, Nagi merely shrugged at Minori's questioning gaze.

"Don't look at me, I only slept in. _He_ got lost on his own"

"Oi, where's the support!" Takeshi grumbled towards Nagi who he had been hoping to bail him out of dealing with someone of Minori's temper.

As Himegami finally made it to where Nagi was, she stopped right in front of him and crossed her arms, frowning heavily as she waited for him to acknowledge her presence.

"I hope you have a good explanation for this"

Nagi scrunched his face as he noticed the short blonde practically glaring at him. "Huh? The hell are you talking about, shrimp?"

Himegami threw her hands down as she huffed and grabbed his black shirt. "The match! Where were you! You promised me that you would help fight against Kamigari!"

"Is that why your in such a bad mood? What are you, stupid? I already told you yesterday that I agreed to help you guys fight but this match was to be decided by your team who accepted the challenge. Why should I get involved in a fight between kids?"

"W-Why you...!"

In the face of Nagi's disregard for the terms of the agreement, Himegami could only grind her teeth in frustration at the man standing before her. Every single time she spoke with him, they had somehow ended up with Himegami looking like a fool and she could never win against him. It infuriated her to no end as she watched the arrogant but charming bastard smugly shut her down. Why was he so hard to read and control unlike the others!?

"It's been awhile Nagi-san!" Inaho brimmed happily as she caught up with him and smiled.

Nagi turned his sights towards Inaho and squinted his eyes for a moment, as if trying to confirm her identity, before coming to a realization and smirked. "Ah, it's you again Kitten. What's up?"

"... _Kitten?_ "

Inaho still didn't understand why Nagi had chosen that nickname for her as she cocked her head to the side but she soon forgot about all that when her eyes befell Nagi's hands that were beside his waist. The memory of him patting her on the head not too long ago popped up and she blushed a little as she wanted to be petted by him again, though she couldn't say that out loud as it would be far too embarrassing.

Nagi seemed to pick up on her vibes as he watched her eyes sparkle at his hands. "What, you want me to pet your head again? You like it that much?"

"...!"

Inaho didn't say anything as she silently nodded, with a face completely red out of embarrassment.

Nagi laughed in good humor and did as she wanted, ruffling her colourful brown hair as Inaho enjoyed the sensation.

"Hmph, your technique still isn't better than mine but I'll let you pet her this time" Takeshi lamented as he had finished calming Minori down and was standing beside Nagi.

"Hah, give it up old man. Kitten clearly likes my petting better than yours, right?" He smiled at Inaho who couldn't deny Nagi asking her like that and silently nodded again.

As their antics were beginning to draw even more of a crowd, Espada and the others girls were still staring at the figures of Nagi and Takeshi, but more specifically at the former whose name they had picked up on around the festival.

Espada herself was stunned beyond words when she first gazed upon the mysterious Nagi that had become a widespread topic among the girls of the academy. She was expecting a man whose looks would be noteworthy based on the fact that he already gained a fan club in such a short amount of time but to think the man would be this attractive wasn't something she could have fathomed. He was tall in stature, in great shape, had a charismatic aura, and gave off the feeling of a proud and confident man.

With all of these factors piled up, Espada's body wanted to anxiously find out if Nagi had the strength to match his favourable looks as she trembled slightly.

"Espada, calm down. We don't want you going on a rampage again like last time" Hoshii Kawase scolded as she was as calm as ever, sucking on a lollipop and checking her stocks on her cell phone. She hadn't even noticed Nagi or Takeshi's arrival as she went to look on her cell the moment the coast was clear.

"Yes, you're right. As a well disciplined knight, I must reserve myself"

Espada's promise of becoming a fully fledged "knight" was probably one of her only means of putting a lock on her raging hormones as she wanted to learn to control her urges. The matter of whether or not she _could_ do so however, was an entirely different manner.

Espada then turned to her current leader and master, Otohime who hadn't spoken a word since the duo's arrival. "Otohime-dono, I believe perhaps we should be leaving to check on... Otohime-dono?"

Espada's voice stopped abruptly when she noticed the flushed cheeks of her superior whose mouth was gaping wide open. Espada waved her hands in front of Otohime's face several times but she got no response, only a dumbfounded stare where Nagi was standing and looked back at her teammates.

"Oh dear, it seems Otohime-dono has come under some sort of trance"

Hoshii laughed as she bit into her lollipop. "Trance my ass, that's the face of a maiden who's in love"

Kajiru blushed as she saw the state Otohime was in. "Cute..."

Yumemiya didn't say anything but it was apparent she shared Kajiru thoughts as she nodded vigorously.

Immediately, Otohime snapped back into reality and coughed several times, unable to hide the tint of red in her cheeks as she immediately turned around and tried to escape the perimeter.

"Espada! Hoshii! Kajiru! Yumemiya! L-Let's go! We're done here!"

The four third years traded odd looks between each other before they followed their master back to Kamigari's headquarters. Espada took one last look behind towards Nagi and narrowed her eyes, a menacing smile enveloping her soft features.

" _I hope you can make my body burn up later, Nagi"_

Nagi seemed to have picked up on a strange vibe coming from Espada's direction as his eyes side glanced over to the figures of Otohime and her girls walking away. It might have been his imagination but he could have sworn he felt someone staring at him.

"Oi! Nagi! Are you listening to me!?"

Nagi turned around and focused his attention to the huffing Minori in front of him who was tapping her foot on the ground and crossed her arms. "What's the matter now?"

"I'll tell you what the matter is! You should have been here to participate and everything would have been settled! Or are you just going to forget our agreement last night?"

"Agreement?" Several of the girls whispered as they watched the confrontation between Takeshi and Minori.

Himegami was completely on Minori's side in this matter as she nodded her head. "That's right! You should have taken responsibility!"

A misunderstanding was bound to occur as even more whispers were spreading around the campus about Nagi's relationship between Minori and Himegami.

Nagi himself didn't care much for their annoying barking towards him and yawned, walking right past them and stopping short of Takeru who was lying on the ground with Kurigasa and Azuki.

"Are you ignoring us!?" Minori and Himegami said in unison. To have been disrespected to such an extent in front of such a large group of people; Nagi's actions were unforgivable to them!

"Nagi... san?" Takeru said flinchingly as he looked upwards at the idle man observing the trio. Kurigasa and Azuki were also nervous as they could easily feel the immense presence this man had, though for Azuki, she was feeling a bit flustered when such an attractive man staring right at her.

"That was pitiful"

"Eh?"

Nagi's claim had caused those around them to go silent as they couldn't believe what he had just said.

"You expect me to fight for you guys after what I just saw? Am I supposed to fight your battles now because you're all weak?"

Minori couldn't believe what she was hearing coming from Nagi's mouth and growled at him. "Oi, just what the hell are you-

Before she could move however, Takeshi's hand stopped her and she glared at him. "What are you doing sensei!?"

Takeshi didn't say a word, he only shook his head and motioned for Minori to keep watching as those gathered around Nagi had gone quiet out of curiosity of what he was trying to accomplish.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?"

Takeru, Kurigasa, and Azuki all lowered their heads, unable to answer as they had nothing to say. What could they say? It was a pathetic performance, everyone knew that. Though they weren't sure what Nagi had to do with this and were out of the loop regarding his involvement, that didn't change the fact that he was right and that he had a right to be disappointed with them.

" _I'm supposed to fight against Yamato Takeru... and I couldn't even beat those third years..._ "

Takeru gripped his fists tightly and grinded his teeth in frustration. Azuki and Kurigasa weren't much better as they both coped with the guilt in their own ways, with Azuki pounding the ground with her fist and Kurigasa slamming both his elbows on the floor.

For Kurigasa, winning Azuki's affections was his top priority and he had shown her an unmanly display just now. As for Azuki, her desire to help Himegami and protect her from Otohime and Kamigari motivated her to train in the summer but all that was for nothing after fighting against Espada and the others. Just what good was all that training if she got her ass kicked so easily?

After seeing all of them come to terms with their own weakness, Nagi sighed and crouched down so that he was eye level with all of them. "Look, I don't know all of you very well and so I can't really speak as if I know your strengths and weaknesses. However, I can say this much as a fellow warrior myself; if you want to become stronger, think of the most important person in your life. There's only so much strength you can obtain on your own, it's only once you begin to fight for that special person that you can gain powers that transcend your current limits"

He then placed a hand on Takeru's shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. "Your old man was pretty disappointed in your performance kid, you're not just going to let him keep thinking that are you?"

Takeru immediately shook his head and gave a hardened expression. "No way! I'll get strong enough to leave him breathless! For my father and Haru-nee, I won't let it end like this!"

Nagi smirked. "That's the spirit" He then turned to Kurigasa. "What about you big guy? Who are you and what do you want to accomplish?"

Kurigasa gulped before making a fist and throwing it forward. "I'm Kai Kurigasa, and I'll become stronger to make the woman I love notice me!"

Some of the girls in the back squealed at such a romantic declaration while Nagi chuckled lightheartedly, not expecting that. "Direct and straight to the point, I like it." He then finally turned to Azuki who flinched at Nagi's unexpected gaze and straightened up on reflex. "And you, bandage girl? What are you fighting for?"

"B-Bandage girl...? Are you... talking about me?" Azuki pointed to herself in disbelief at the unforeseen nickname, while Takeshi, Himegami, Aki, and Inaho began snickering.

Nagi frowned. "Do you see anyone else with a bandage on their nose? Quit dodging the question and answer me"

Azuki was unable to protest against her nickname as the annoyed look coming from Nagi shut her up and she scratched her cheek awkwardly. "I guess it'd have to be... fighting to protect Himegami and making money for my family"

A noble goal, if Nagi had to say so himself.

He smiled and stood up. "Good, you all seem to have something that drives you to keep going. Never forget it as an old friend of mine once told me that you can't succeed unless you fail. You've all already failed once, all that's left is to pick up the pieces and try again"

Nagi's attempts at getting them to cheer up seemed to have worked as Takeru, Kurigasa, and Azuki all nodded vigilantly and looked beyond motivated to make up for their losses. Minori, who had been watching was at a loss of words as a sigh of amazement escaped her mouth. Nagi had done what she couldn't; cheer up her dejected students and made them feel better with words filled with simplicity but also wisdom.

"He never ceases to surprise you, doesn't he?"

Minori turned to Takeshi who was stroking his beard with a smirk as he had faith in Nagi the entire time.

"...Yea"

This man known as Nagi was truly a one of a kind type of man as Minori began to realize why she thought of him differently from all of the men she had encountered in her life. As for her feelings towards him...

She shook her head violently to rid herself of any girly thoughts she was having. She didn't think of him like that! She couldn't!

Aki giggled at watching her friend act normal for once, like a girl who had found her crush but couldn't admit it. It was times like these that Aki wondered what could have happened if Minori had fallen for a guy like Nagi in high school, perhaps she would have become like this much earlier? It was a thought to consider.

Clearing her throat, Minori stepped forward to announce what the next course of action would be. "Listen up you guys! I want all of you cleared out of here so we can set up the shops that were closed down for this event!"

"Yes ma'am!"

All of the gossiping students complied with the principal's demands as they dispersed, with hordes of men and women beginning to leave the area.

Minori then turned to Aki who had begun tending to Takeru, Kurigasa, and Azuki's injuries. "Aki, you'll take Takeru and the others to the infirmary while the rest of you will continue your duties to maintain order around the school. Is that clear?"

"You got it"

"Okay!"

"Leave it to us!"

Everyone regained their vigour and headed in different directions to complete their own work while Nagi had walked back to Takeshi, the latter of whom had punched Nagi's arm playfully.

"Well look at you, that was one hell of a speech you gave there"

"Don't be stupid, I just said what was on my mind. What they do with it is up to them"

A sneering laugh came from Takeshi as he threw his arm around Nagi's shoulders. "Whatever you say, playboy" A tender expression formed on the older man's face "I hope you know I appreciate what you did for my boy"

A bit taken back by Takeshi's word of thanks, Nagi rubbed in nose in a skittish kind of manner and smiled contently.

"It was no big deal"

Immediately afterwards, Nagi's body sensed something strange and he turned around spontaneously, earning a confused expression from Takeshi who scratched his head in confusion. "What's the matter?"

"... I swear I just felt someone watching me..."

Takeshi looked in the same direction. "I don't see anyone, its probably one of your fangirls. Haha, you lucky dog"

"... If you say so"

* * *

The conclusion of the Himekagura Festival's opening day had come an end as the sun had gone down, indicating to shops and booths that it was time to close down until tomorrow. With Team Tenbi's first official lost in the series against Team Yamato Takeru, along with the overwhelming strength displayed by the third years, the atmosphere around campus was grim. There were students who were beginning to doubt the strength of the student council while others still supported them on the surface but they too also held their doubts.

Of course, that only applied to those allied with Tenbi Academy as Otohime and her squad couldn't have been more satisfied with the results. Victory had been secured and their objective of striking fear and panic among the students of Tenbi had been completed successfully... and yet for some reason, Otohime's heart was in turmoil.

The reason?

"Just who was that man!?"

Back at the Kamigari hidden base which was located a comfortable distance away from Tenbi; Otohime was pacing left and right in a hurried motion, ignoring the odd looks coming from her squad of third years. She had been doing this for the past half an hour and they were starting to worry about her mental health at this rate.

Leaning against one of the walls inside Otohime's private room, Espada was the first to speak. "Otohime-dono, what is troubling you?"

Espada already knew the answer but she wanted to hear it straight from her master's mouth as it was more fun that way.

Otohime ceased pacing and began trembling, as if struggling to come up with an answer to Espada's question.

"I... I think I've found him" she finally admitted as for the first time since Espada and the others girls had known her, Otohime was blushing.

"Found whom? Are you referring to that man known as Nagi?" Kajiru responded as she was sitting down on the floor with her legs out.

Otohime slowly nodded. "Mhm. I... I can't believe I found the man I've been searching for so quickly"

No one seemed to follow what Otohime was trying to say as they cocked their heads to the side.

"Otohime-dono, is there something special about that man?"

Turning to face Espada, Otohime nodded with an awkward smile as she cupped her soft pale cheeks. "But of course! With that gallant figure, gorgeous face, and confident aura, I knew immediately that he was the one I was destined to meet!"

That confirmed it for them; she was head over heels in love with Nagi. The girls had already figured it out so they were already accepting of it but it was still a treat to see their usually haughty and arrogant superior acting in such a girlish manner.

"So? Are you going to confess to him? Wouldn't that be something" Hoshii teased as she chewed on a snack she had in her mouth and typed on her laptop.

"Don't be ridiculous" Otohime softly stroked her silver locks and placed the umbrella she was carrying down by her slender hips "A woman of my stature wouldn't involve my personal affairs in the middle of a war against those disgusting vermin"

"Then what is your plan? That man seems to be allied with our enemy so how will you convince him to become your sla- I mean, join our side" Espada was quick to correct herself.

Otohime grinned in a charming manner that would make most men find her adorable. "It is simple; you will capture him and bring him to me so we can brainwash him into becoming my lover"

"..."

"Oooh!" A sound of approval came from Espada at Otohime's idea and she looked thrilled to carry it out "What a marvellous plan, just as I would expect from Otohime-dono"

"But of course" Otohime glorified all of her actions as the workings of a genius and accepted the praise that came with it.

"Are you sure it's okay to do that? I mean, kidnapping an innocent person..."

Kajiru was a strong warrior, but she was also a very loving and gentle girl that respected freedom and independence. She never wanted someone else to experience what she had gone through and hoped Otohime would reconsider her proposal.

"Are you saying you'll decline my request?" Otohime's voice held no signs of her friendly and familiar tone from before as she glared coldly at the shaken Kajiru. "I take it then you have no interest in what will happen to you then?"

A look of terror spread across Kajiru's face as she instinctively touched the necklace around her chubby neck and began sweating profusely. Otohime saw her fear and reached inside of her small bosom, pulling out a small remote in her hand with a red button in the middle and playfully dangled it in her arms.

"I'm sure you haven't forgotten who holds the key to your life now, have you?"

Espada, Hoshii, and Yumemiya all simultaneously narrowed their eyes when Otohime had mentioned the necklace but didn't express their contempt in front of her.

What Otohime had said was true. Ever since they had been brainwashed by Kamigari and put under the direct command of Otohime, a necklace had been attached to all of the third year girls that contained a large amount of deadly poison within them. It was Kamigari's insurance regarding their loyalty just in case the brainwashing to their minds ever faded. If at any given moment Otohime felt as if Espada and the others were not loyal towards Yamato Takeru and at the first sign of betrayal, she had permission to use the remote to spread the poison.

Kajiru didn't even hesitate to answer Otohime after hearing the threat. "...No ma'am, I'll fulfill your order no matter what"

Otohime smiled sweetly and tucked the remote back into her bosom. "That's what I thought. Now, I expect all of you to complete this assignment as flawlessly as the first one. Of course, you will be well rewarded if you can secure that man for me"

Immediately, the money grabber Hoshii's eyes sparkled as she closed her laptop and practically hugged Otohime.

"Yes! A raise for our next mission! You're the best, Hime-boss!"

As she was used to Hoshii's eccentric personality regarding money, Otohime brushed her off politely and smiled. "Do not thank me; hard work should always be rewarded. Oh and by the way" Her eyes then turned to the woman sitting in the back who had yet to utter a word during the entire time. "You will be sitting this mission out Yumemiya, your Maken's trump card needs to be reserved no matter what. Understood?"

Yumemiya nodded without saying a word.

"Excellent, I expect to hear good news when you all return. If you come across any pests trying to get in your way, you are given permission to use your full strength to crush them. Eliminating some of their members before the next match could prove useful. Espada, you'll be in command for this mission. Do not fail me"

Espada bowed deeply. "You shall not be disappointed"

"I certainly hope not" Otohime then reached into her buxom once again and pulled out a small capsule with a dim light inside of it. She tossed it towards Espada who caught it and asked the obvious question.

"May I ask what this is my lady?"

"That is an immediate transport device that will allow you to return to the front of our base. You may only use this device in the case of an emergency but there shouldn't be a need to with your capabilities. Keep it safe"

Espada bowed once again. "I will guard it with my life"

As Otohime turned from Espada with a satisfied smirk and the other third year girls were talking with each other, no one seemed to notice the look of pure ecstasy plastered on Espada's face. Her usual graceful and elegant smile was replaced with a twisted and sadistic grin that reeked of a woman who's lustful nature had no limit. Her chance at finding out Nagi's true strength had just been handed to her on a silver platter and she couldn't contain her excitement at having a chance to fight him tonight.

* * *

"What a shame, it seems we were too late and missed the battle"

Akaya Kodai was bummed as he sighed and took a look around the destroyed battleground where the clash between the two teams had taken place earlier.

"If _someone_ didn't try to pose in front of his mirror almost every step of the way, we might have made it"

That scolding voice came from Yan Min who was barely containing her anger and frustration at having missed the battle and was glaring daggers at her captain. Akaya tried to defuse Yan's anger by posing once again and stroking his soft brown hair.

"Keep calm and relax, we'll just ask Celia and Minerva how the match went"

"Tch.." Yan clicked her tongue in annoyance and huffed, seemingly accepting of her captain's excuse. Akaya sighed in relief at having calmed her down as he worried he might have been on the receiving end of an ass whooping.

"Yohoo~!❤"

Akaya and Yan both flinched instinctively when they heard the voice of Celia calling them as they turned their heads to see their companion accompanied by Martha Minerva heading towards them from the school.

"Ah, Minerva, Celia, good to see you both in high spirits" Akaya was quick to pose in front of his subordinates who had long gotten used to the habit.

"I hope you two haven't been slacking off" Yan scolded as she crossed her arms.

Celia pouted as she puffed her cheeks. "Your so rude, Yan-chan! We've been fulfilling our duties properly under the captain's orders! Isn't that right, Minerva-chan?"

Minerva smiled. "That's right. We've been watching our targets very carefully and enjoying the festival while we were at it. That's more than I can say for you two who were no shows at today's match"

"Grr...!" Yan couldn't say anything back at Minerva's sly way of redirecting the conversation at her and she pointed to Akaya out of desperation. "That's only because this idiot kept posing the entire time!"

"But the captain always does that" Celia and Minerva deadpanned.

"Ah, how cruel. My lovely ladies are stabbing me with their words, I might not be able to go on" Akaya's theatrics were becoming even more ridiculous as he flailed all over the place and somehow ended up on the ground, still trying to look as elegant as ever.

"..."

The girls didn't say anything and wondered for the umpteenth time how such a buffoon had managed to become their acting commander.

"Anyway" Akaya stopped posing and put on a more serious expression, one befitting a man of his rank and position. "Ladies, you have a report for me?"

"Sir!" Celia and Minerva both saluted their captain, followed by Celia marching forward. "I analyzed the strength of Espada and the others girls, they're all incredibly strong" she then smiled and winked at him. "Of course, they're still not as strong as us~❤ "

Akaya nodded. "Good work. It seems the rumours were true then, the former third years that are now working for Kamigari were all exceptionally strong. Even worse that they each now possess one of the original eight Maken"

"I'm afraid I wasn't able to confirm which Maken's they have during today's bout sir. Though, we know about the four currently in Tenbi's possession, so that only leaves the remaining four" Celia mentioned.

"That's right, I'll have to ask Minori in detail about the abilities of those four. You did excellent Celia, your captain is most proud of you"

Celia grinned as she produced a V sign. "Hehe~❤ I'm an idol, these types of things are no sweat!"

Yan Min rolled her eyes at Celia's bubbly attitude, wondering how she had the willpower to keep up her cutesy act all day long.

Akaya's focus then turned to Minerva who noticed his gaze and remained impassive.

"What do you have to report, Minerva?"

"Sir! As you instructed, I kept an eye on Aomi Koshii during the festival today and he didn't act strangely" A look of sadness then appeared on her face as she gripped her fingers together. "It's hard to believe that he was killed and is still acting as if it never happened"

"I agree, it's a hard pill to swallow but for now there's nothing else we can do. As long as he shows no signs of betraying us, then it's fine to let him live the way he is now"

"Yes captain..."

The mood around the Venus members seemed to get darker but that was quickly drowned out by Celia's brimming voice.

"Oh! Captain that reminds me, you should have been here to see that guy named Nagi! He was a total dreamboat~!❤" Celia cupped her hands together and squealed with delight; the remarkable looks of Nagi edging themselves into her mind. Of course, she would never cheat on her beloved Takeru and loved him more than anything but it was impossible to ask her not to fawn over an attractive man when she saw one.

Akaya and Yan Min traded disbelieving glances towards the squealing Celia, with Akaya coughing awkwardly and turning to Minvera. "Is that right? Did you also get a chance to look at him, Minerva?"

Minerva nodded as she placed one of her delicate hands on her cheek and sighed in admiration. "Yes, and he was magnificent. I've never seen such a dashing young man before; truly breathtaking"

" _...Even Minerva?"_

Akaya's pride at being the most handsome man at Tenbi Academy was beginning to crack as he watched his subordinates fawn over this mysterious newcomer. His pride would never allow him to surrender the title he had worked on obtaining during his highschool years as he struck a dramatic pose and flipped his air, trying to look as extravagant as possible.

"I'm still far better looking, right ladies?"

"Not at all, you're not even in his league" Celia and Minerva both deadpanned immediately, causing Akaya to slump down on the ground in depression.

Yan Min was the only one not impressed. "Who cares what he looks like?" She then stepped in front of Celia, her eyes showing a glint of ferociousness "Tell me, is he worth fighting?"

Celia cocked her head to the side as she placed her delicate finger on her mouth, as if mimicking the act of being deep in thought. "I don't know~ I never got a chance to see him fight"

"...You're useless"

"You're so mean, Yan-chan!"

As the two continued to bicker, Akaya had regained his composure. "I-In any case, as long as he's not an enemy we shouldn't need to-

"About that captain" Minerva had cut Akaya off and looked rather worried "There's something about Nagi-san that I feel I should mention"

Minerva's change in demeanour caught Akaya's interest and he motioned for her to continue. "I'm listening"

Even Yan Min and Celia had stopped arguing and gathered around the girl to hear what she had to say.

"When I saw him earlier today and opened my eyes to inspect his element... I saw something extremely worrying that has been bugging me. As you know, my sensitivity to element has been abnormally high since the moment I was born. Because of that, whenever I open my eyes, I can see a person's element level and what attribute they have just with a simple glance"

Akaya and the girls already knew all of this and didn't understand what she was trying to get at.

Minerva continued. "But that man... when I took a look at him, not only was there no trace of element on him, there was something dark clouding his body... something not of this world"

"Something dark you say?" This was troubling news for Akaya who put his hand on his chin, wondering what it could have meant. Minerva had never mentioned anything like this happening before so there was a cause for concern. A thought passed in Akaya's mind and just when he was about to voice it, Minerva shook her head to cut him off.

"I know what you're thinking and no, it wasn't the black element. It was something that shouldn't exist in this world, something that's power I couldn't even begin to fathom"

"...What does that even mean?" Yan Min was understandably confused as she had never heard Minerva speak of someone in such a vague and ominous way before. Celia was of the same opinion as she had question marks popping all over the place.

"I... don't know... but I don't think we should leave him be. That thing I sensed could potentially put everyone here in danger if left unchecked so we need to confirm what he truly is"

"Hmm..."

Akaya considered it for a moment and went over what little information he had on the identity known as Nagi. He knew from his chat with his former sensei that the man was exceptionally powerful, evidenced by the destruction he caused in the forest. He also knew that he was an old friend of Takeshi's, which raised all sorts of questions in Akaya's mind on where this man had come from and why hadn't heard of him before. The most troubling thing for Akaya however was what Minerva said about some dark power dwelling inside him that didn't feel of this world. Just what the hell was that supposed to mean?

Coming to a decision, he nodded his head and struck a dramatic pose once again. "Very well! We of the Venus Academy will confront this Nagi and confirm his intentions for ourselves! Everyone, be prepared to move out!"

Yan Min was delighted to hear the news as a confident grin appeared on her face. "You got it captain, this should be fun"

Celia was also ecstatic as she bounced up and down. "Yay~!❤ We get to go visit the hottie! Sorry Takeru-kun, it's just orders! Your still my favourite!"

Minerva smiled but in her heart, she was still worried about what she saw and prayed that the menacing feeling she had gotten from Nagi was nothing but an illusion.

* * *

Lying down on his bed with a deep sigh, Nagi stretched his limbs and tried to get comfortable by resting on the soft bed behind him. He ignored the distracting snoring sounds coming from Takeshi as he heaved a troubled sigh, clearly exhausted by today's fiasco.

Initially, the day had been relatively tame as he observed the battle between the kids alongside Takeshi and had a sizeable lunch. He still recalled the taste of those rice balls and savoured every bite; slightly regretting giving some to Takeshi, who had no complaints and dug right in. However, things started becoming hectic the moment the battle was over as he was approached by the tomato head drunkie and the flat-chested shrimp.

He could still hear their nagging during the course of the festival as they kept blabbing on about fighting for the sake of the students. It all went in one ear and came out the other for Nagi who ignored their distressed pleas and went about his business. That wasn't even the worst of it as immediately after, several gatherings of groups calling themselves his "fanclub" were pestering him and asking for trivial things, such as a handshake or autographs.

Nagi knew he was popular but this was ridiculous! Though to be fair, his popularity here was pretty miniscule when compared to his overwhelming reputation among the people of the Mundus Magicus, otherwise known as the Magic World.

With all that said, he couldn't complain too much as he toured the festival and got to enjoy plenty of new delicacies and treats he had never tasted before in his old world. The excitement of holding a new dish and wondering what it would taste like always brought a smile on Nagi's face and he couldn't wait to sample more dishes for tomorrow. It also didn't hurt that all of his food was free as the female shop owners handed out their best menus in a heartbeat to the surprised Nagi with flushed and embarrassed cheeks.

"Heh, this place ain't so bad. I could do without the nagging but overall, it's been pretty fun"

Nagi stood up from his bed and did one final stretch on his back before looking at the large window next to his bed where he could watch the beautiful moon in the sky radiate above him with a dazzling glow. During his travels around the Mundus Magicus, Nagi had camped outside more times than he could remember and had watched the stars in the skies almost every night. They were soothing, in their own special sort of way and let him get a good night's rest, despite the fact that he was in the middle of a war and surrounded by enemies.

"I need a better view"

He opened the window, donning his shredded brown cloak from the coat rack and leaped outside where he immediately activated his [ **Flight Magic** ] to float in the air. He propelled himself upwards and basked in the fresh breeze of the cold night as he hovered over the faculty dormitory and landed on the building's surface.

"That's much better"

The view of the moon had drastically improved as Nagi stood on top of the school building and smiled contently. All his troubles just seemed to wash away whenever he saw the beautiful moon in the sky and he reached his hand out, looking as if he was trying to grasp it in his palms.

"It's still hard to believe that I'm in another world"

The black hole that had appeared during his bout with Zeto was plaguing Nagi's mind as he wondered where it had come from and why it had appeared during that particular moment. Was there a specific reason why he was called to this world? More than that, would there be a way to return back? What if there was no Maken to send him home? The thought of never being able to see his son, Arika, Jack, and all of his friends again made Nagi, for one of very few times in his life, scared as he balled his hand into a fist.

"Heh, look at me. I was called a hero because I saved the world and yet I can't even figure out how to return to the place I saved"

For all of Nagi's ridiculous strength, there were just some things he couldn't do. As a magic school dropout, his knowledge of magic was nothing short of mediocre compared to the magical geniuses he had encountered over his long journey, such as Alberio and Zect. It had never been a hindrance during the war as Nagi's only job was to blow everything in his way to smithereens, but whenever he was faced with a problem that couldn't be solved by punching it's lights out, Nagi unfortunately fell short. To be labelled as the Thousand Master and to be so incompetent in magic knowledge, Nagi found it truly ironic as a laugh escaped his mouth.

Just as he stopped laughing and was prepared to head back in, the presence of several individuals closing in on his location alerted his attention. He didn't recognize any of them as his eyes slowly slid from one side to the other, awaiting their arrival as they moved through the stillness of the night.

" _Looks like I have some company, how should I deal with them?_ "

Should he eradicate them from the get go? Nah, that would be too dull and boring. Instead, he'd get them to reveal themselves and take it from there. Improvising on the spot was always the path that was most appealing to him anyway.

"You can come out now, you shouldn't hide like rats in the middle of the night" He shouted to no one in particular and within moments, the sound of a familiar but unfamiliar voice came out.

"He caught us~❤"

Appearing from the shadows of the forest nearby were four individuals who all landed right behind Nagi, causing the man himself to turn around slowly and widen his eyes in mild surprise. It was a man and three women, all wearing a similar crimson uniform as they directed welcoming gazes towards him.

"To have discovered us so quickly, I'm quite impressed"

Akaya Kodai spoke as he flipped a strand of his hair in front of Nagi and placed a hand on his hips. He opened his eyes and momentarily flinched as he took in Nagi's tall stature and neutral expression.

" _...Unbelievable! H-He really is better looking than I am..."_

He couldn't deny the truth staring him right in the face and accepted that while Nagi may be more handsome, he was definitely more elegant. He needed something to satisfy his pride!

"Yoohoo~! Handsome boy~!❤ How's it going?" Celia was as cheerful as ever as she waved at the neutral Nagi, earning a face palm from Yan Min.

"How are we supposed to intimidate him after you pull crap like that!" The Chinese warrior Yan screamed at Celia who stuck her tongue out and winked, as if saying "Sorry" but didn't actually mean it.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Nagi-san" Minerva was the most respectful of the group as she bowed towards Nagi.

"..."

Nagi was unresponsive to their random and unexpected form of greeting as he studied each one of them from top to bottom. He didn't know who they were or what they wanted with him but he figured he'd play along with them as his previously depressed mood earlier had evaporated thanks to this timely intervention.

"Who the hell are you people?"

"Ah! Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself" Akaya began as he stood in front of his squad and dramatically posed, a few sparkles showing on his face. "I am Akaya Kodai, acting commander of the ladies of Venus Academy! I'm sure you must know of my famous reputation"

"I've never heard of a sparkling clown like you before"

"..."

An embarrassing silence followed that exchange as Celia, Minerva, and even Yan Min had to hold back a laugh from Nagi's comment as he single handedly crushed Akaya's pride in mere seconds.

"Sparkling... clown...?" Akaya was beyond insulted but tried to regain his bearings. He wouldn't let this man shake his unbreakable composure and couldn't show such a weak side in front of his subordinates.

"B-Be that as it may, I have heard of you and I've come here today with my unit standing behind me to astertain your intentions. I'm sure you won't mind that at all, right?"

"Questions? Nagi furrowed his brows. "What business do you students have with me?"

Akaya's expression turned serious as he inclined his head towards Minerva, who nodded at the signal. "Nagi-san, we've come here to confirm your intentions and what you plan to do at this school"

"Huh?" Nagi scrunched in face, clearly annoyed at being pestered once again for the twentieth time today. Jeez, why couldn't people just leave him alone?

"We heard from Takeshi-sensei that you are an old friend of his. I find that quite hard to believe considering the fact that I've never heard of you before and I'm acquainted with most of sensei's old associates. Someone of your rumoured strength couldn't be connected to sensei without at least someone knowing of you, yet there are no records of you anywhere..."

"Get to the point"

Yan Min's eyes flinched, annoyed at Nagi's rude attitude towards her captain but she did not voice her dissatisfaction out loud. If her captain didn't mind it, she had no reason to either.

"Well, that in itself isn't a problem to be honest, as long as you are an ally of Tenbi. However..." Akaya's eyes began to emit a surge of hostility and killing intent as he glared at Nagi. "My subordinate over here claims she saw something in you that would be a problem to be left unchecked"

"..."

Nagi's eyes trailed from Akaya to the girls surrounding him and he noted each of their stances; they were all prepared to attack at any given moment. Especially the Chinese dressed one, she looked ready to jump right at him regardless if ordered to or not.

" _They're probably suspicious of the fact that I came from another world... aw well, its not that big of a deal if I tell them right?"_

Weighing the pros and cons against one another, Nagi decided to come clean as he opened his mouth.

"There's a reason for that. The truth is that I actually come from another wor-

"Would you mind telling us more about that, Venus Commander?"

Nagi, along with Akaya and his girls immediately darted their vision towards the left side of the building where a group of unexpected girls had arrived; three of them in fact. A large obese woman with black hair, a short girl with pink hair, and a voluptuous beauty with blonde hair all stood across from Nagi and the Venus group.

"You...! Espada and the third years!" Akaya unintentionally leaked out as he put his hands on the trigger of his weapon, prepared to combat them at any given minute. His girls were following his train of thought and readied themselves to pounce on Espada and the third years.

Nagi recognized them immediately from today's match and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "What do you girls want now?"

Espada was the first to speak as she placed her hand on the rapier strapped to her waist and smiled deviously towards Nagi. "We've come under order from Otohime-dono to secure you as her lover. However, that's different from my intentions" He breathing became a bit rigged as her flushed cheeks were more visible among the moonlight. "I've come to personally have a taste of you, Nagi"

"...Huh?"

* * *

 **A/N: A showdown between Kamigari, Venus and Nagi! Espada's dirty mind is even sometimes too much for me, I need to take a shower.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Rumble on the School Building!**

* * *

The arrival of Espada, Hoshii, and Kajiru was an unexpected situation that Akaya couldn't have foreseen as he stared them down from across the school building. Celia and Yan Min were immediately on edge while Minerva remained calm but was now frowning in displeasure as their plans for engaging Nagi alone were interrupted.

Akaya produced a wry smile. " _What rotten timing. I didn't calculate having to face these girls along with Nagi... wait... perhaps!?_ " His eyes quickly darted towards the figure of Nagi with a sense of urgency as he pondered a hypothetical scenario. Had Nagi set this scenario up with Espada and the others? What were the chances of them arriving at precisely the same time that Akaya and the Venus girls did? The timing was just too convenient, something had to be up!

To Akaya's astonishment however, his assumption was thrown right out the window when Espada spoke her next choice of words.

"Good evening, Venus Commander Akaya Kyodai. I definitely wasn't expecting to meet you here like this; it is quite a fortunate turn of events... or would be if you were my target. My business isn't with you today unfortunately..." Espada's clear and serene eyes then slowly slid over towards Nagi who was standing idly in the corner "...It's with that strapping young man over there"

"Huh?" Nagi raised his eyebrow, confusion written all over his face. What business did this beautiful young girl have with him?

Akaya was stunned, scanning both Espada and Nagi's facial expressions for any signs of pre planned actions. Judging off of Nagi's reaction earlier, even he didn't expect them to show up which made Akaya's heart relived, but at the same time worried. If they weren't here collaborating together, just what did Espada and the others come here for?

"You said you have beef with me, blondie?" Nagi rudely responded as he threw both of his arms in his pockets. He wasn't even trying to hide the displeasure in his voice and tone at having been interrupted of his night watching. Anyone who knew Nagi well enough, and that was a very small number of people, would know that he didn't appreciate anyone disturbing his peaceful moments. Jack Rakan figured that out the hard way one time as Nagi beat the man senseless when he was star gazing one night.

Espada wasn't bothered by Nagi's rudeness and smiled. "Indeed. Otohime-dono, our mistress wishes to convey a special invitation towards you. An opportunity such as this doesn't happen often, you should feel honored"

"Otohime?" Nagi searched his memory, recalling that Minori had mentioned that name a few times with a grumpy expression. Still, he had no idea what she wanted and shrugged his shoulders. "Never heard of her. What does she want with me that she can't even come here herself?"

Akaya's eyes flickered, as did the rest of the Venus girls when they heard Otohime's name. So Otohime sent them after Nagi! But what interest did she have in him? Did she perhaps discovering something about Nagi that they hadn't?

"Otohime-dono is quite busy attending to important matters so she sent us as messengers. I don't believe there should be a problem as long as you come with us to our hideout, and then you may speak with her yourself. Besides..." Espada's voice trailed off as she seductively licked her lips and ran her hands all over her voluptuous body in a sensual manner, startling everyone present. "Are you really not interested in our invitation?"

In the face of such a attractive beauty, even Akaya wasn't immune to her charms as he swallowed his spit with a blush, immediately coughing afterwards after noticing the blank stares coming from his girls.

Celia, Yan Min, and Minerva were well aware that no matter what kind of "elegant" man Akaya claimed to be on the surface, he was still a man to the core. Yan Min certainly wasn't impressed as she huffed and turned away. Men were all the same, always thinking with their lower halves.

Hoshii sighed in an exasperated manner as she held her forehead, disliking Espada's methods of gaining attention. The thing that pissed her off about it was that she never took advantage of such a gold mine! The amount of men seduced by Espada that would be willing to spend their savings on her would be endless; this dumb girl doesn't know how to profit!

Kajiru didn't say anything as a blush appeared on her face, clearly believing that Espada was too shameless.

After Espada had given Nagi her answer, he blinked for a moment and snorted in amusement, proceeding to turn around while waving his arm. "Your ten years too early to try and seduce me kid. You can tell that Otohime brat that if she has something to say to me, she should stop hiding and say it to my face. What am I, her servant?"

Unbelievable!

A rush of shock enveloped all those present as they were stunned beyond belief at Nagi's immediate refusal towards Espada's invitation. Never had they witnessed a man refuse, let alone ignore Espada and were unable to comprehend Nagi's mind. Even if he had no interest in going with her to meet Otohime, shouldn't he have been at least attracted to Espada?

Espada herself was momentarily stunned at Nagi's decline as her mouth hung slightly open, but that soon passed as a new feeling entered her body. Truthfully, she was desperately trying to restrain herself from engaging in combat with Nagi at this very moment. His calm and composed figure under the moonlight and his disinterest towards her made her body tremble as she wished to confirm if he had the strength to match his attitude. She pleaded in her heart that he would reject the offer and was not disappointed.

She now had free reign to do what he intended to do from the beginning.

" _...I don't know what Otohime wants with Nagi... but if they have learned something about him that even Minerva wasn't able to pick up, we can't let them take him!_ " Akaya thought as he traded looks between his subordinates. Each of them nodded immediately in unison, signifying that they were prepared to mobilize at any given minute.

The atmosphere around the school building took a nose dive as Espada's and the others killing intent could be felt from everywhere and a chilling wind passed by.

Espada chuckled. "Very well, I see you are not like other men that I have encountered before. Unfortunately, Otohime-dono's orders cannot be ignored so I'm afraid I'll have to use my own methods to bring you to her" Her eyes gleamed with ferocity as she swiftly withdrew the rapier strapped to her skirt and took a formal fencing stance with her blade parallel to the ground."Do not hold it against me"

In an instant, Espada's body dashed forward and was headed straight for Nagi, who was still facing the other direction.

"Now!"

Akaya gave the order and Yan Min, along with Celia, moved forward to intercept Espada before her attack could go through. They didn't have the intention of protecting Nagi as they were still cautious and wary of him, but they first needed to deal with Espada's group before confronting him.

"Heh, where do you think you're looking?"

Yan Min and Celia both came to a halt as two shadows slammed in front of them, rumbling the ground underneath their feet. Yan Min grunted in annoyance when Kajiru and Hoshii stood in their way and allowed Espada to make her move.

"Sorry girls, we're being paid to do this so don't think too badly of us" Hoshii pleaded with a sarcastic face as she had dollar signs for eyes, picturing the compensation Otohime would give them later.

"Hoh... you think you can stop us?" Yan Min hummed with interest, taking a martial arts stance and spread both her legs wide. If she was to be honest, her only objective was to fight against Nagi today but her goal had been blocked thanks to the annoying intervention of the two pests standing in front of her. That said, Yan Min wasn't one to turn down a challenge and she would deal with Nagi after having disposed of the runt in her way.

"Yan-chan, we don't have time to deal with them~!" Celia pouted as she didn't even pay attention to the enormous girl looking down at her.

Yan Min shot Celia an annoyed glance. "Don't be stupid, we have to defeat these bitches first before we can deal with Espada and Nagi" She then grinned in a sadistic manner that sent a shiver down Hoshii's back. "It shouldn't take long"

Celia relented and sighed, accepting her words. "Fine, but if we miss the chance to talk with the hottie because of you, I'm not letting you listen to my CD's anymore~!"

" _...Since when did I start listening to them?_ " Yan Min retorted in her head but ignored the tasteless joke and focused on fighting the enemy in front of her.

Espada, who had been on a straight course towards Nagi, took a second to glance over at her comrades keeping the Venus girls at bay and softly smiled. She really owed them big time for this as now, she could take Nagi on without any worries!

However, Espada wasn't planning on using her Maken, [ **Furuno** ]'s true ability right away as she always found more enjoyment in testing her opponents to see what level they were at. With Nagi's mysterious power, she was even more determined to only use her Maken if he proved worthy!

In the short instant that Espada had closed the distance between herself and Nagi, she trusted her blade forward to pierce Nagi's back as he was still turned around. She aimed for the lower part of his waist, clearly not aiming to strike a mortal blow but enough so to take him out of the fight if left unchecked.

"Stop!" Akaya screamed, drawing one of the black pistols loaded from his pocket out and aimed it at the thrusting Espada. His Maken, [ **Swindle** ] that took the shape of a gun was definitely a unique Maken but in this scenario, its powers were useless as he wasn't going to make the shot in time! He then directed a hopeful gaze towards Minerva. "Can you stop her?"

Minerva nodded, slowly opening her usually closed eyes in the process as those powerful eyes held a near infinite amount of element floating within them "Of course"

However, that turned out to be completely unnecessary as Nagi's idle figure suddenly vanished the moment Espada's rapier made contact with his cloak.

"...!?"

Espada was stunned as her target had vanished into thin air, without a single trace. She regained her form and darted her piercing eyes all over the school building, ignoring the battle currently going on between the girls and searched for Nagi relentlessly. Where did he go?

"Did you do that?" Akaya hesitantly asked Minerva, who had the same stiffened expression as her captain.

"I didn't..."

They weren't the only ones searching for Nagi as Espada remained on guard and turned in every direction, unable to pick up Nagi's trail. This wasn't making any sense, unless Nagi had some sort of teleportation Maken, his element should still be traceable. Yet, there wasn't a single whiff of it.

Just as Espada pondered what her next move would be, she suddenly felt a strong and firm sensation coming from her butt and swiftly turned around, only to be met with Nagi standing right behind her, looking deep in thought as he had raised her skirt up with one hand while the other had firmly grabbed onto her rear.

"A thong huh... don't you think that its a bit daring for a girl your age?" Nagi's voice held a whimsical tone as he continued to squeeze on Espada's large butt, causing her to blush furiously and retaliate by swinging her sword at him. Nagi ducked his head easily enough to avoid the blow but lost his grip on Espada, who jumped back to gain some distance.

Nagi looked down at the hand he had used to grab onto Espada's butt, slowly opening and closing it as if to remember the sensation. "Hmm...It's not as firm and toned as Arika's but much more plump..."

Espada was simply astonished beyond belief as she tried to grasp the situation, panting slowly with flushed cheeks as she recalled her rear being squeezed. Even though she still didn't understand how Nagi had gotten behind her, the touch of his hand at that spot honestly felt good but she held her pride and showed a face full of disdain towards him. Had he seen through her already?

That seemed to be the case as a innocent grin appeared on Nagi's face. "That moan you made earlier wasn't my imagination, was it?"

"...!"

Espada felt her cheeks redden as she had been seen through by Nagi who was able to see past Espada's elegant and refined nature for what it truly was; a shameless and horny sex addict!

Minerva was cupping her hands in embarrassment as she had looked away, unable to face what Nagi had done to Espada while Akaya coughed in an awkward manner, trying to get the mood back on track.

"The hell's been going on over there-Woah!" Hoshii shouted in frustration as she narrowly dodged a roundhouse kick from Yan Min who was relentlessly attacking her. Even though she wasn't going full out, Yan Min's deadly accuracy and precision was enough to make Hoshii retreat back and unable to counter her.

Kajiru wasn't having much luck either as Celia proved to be a tricky opponent, dodging all of her strikes with minimal effort while continuing to smile. She couldn't tell what she was thinking at all!

"Your not any fun, why don't you just give up? You know you can't win against an idol~!" Celia counter attacked by landing a powerful strike against Kajiru's stomach, sending the enormous woman staggering back a bit. For such a small and fragile young girl, she packed one hell of a punch!

"Kajiru!" Hoshii yelled in worry but that proved to be a mistake as Yan Min took the opportunity to sneak in and deliver a devastating frontal kick against Hoshii's chin, sweeping her to the side where she tumbled on the school building and struggled to get up. A trail of blood fell from her lips as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve and clicked her tongue.

"Damn it, this job isn't worth the money! We never agreed to fight these girls, why are we even still here?" She turned around to see Espada hesitating to fight against Nagi and raised her eyebrow. What was she doing?

Nagi slowly walked forward towards the cautious Espada who had gotten up and pointed her rapier towards him once again. She had underestimated Nagi that's for sure, but that was no longer a problem as she decided to use her Maken, [ **Furuno** ] to silence him quickly and retreat. The rush of ecstasy filling Espada's heart as she wondered what more tricks Nagi had under his sleeve had to be repressed as the situation required her to wrap things up.

Nagi's eyes befell everyone currently engaged in battle and sighed in disappointment. None of them seemed to even understand that he hadn't actually disappeared; he was just moving so fast around Espada that it looked as if he had vanished. The fact that no one saw through it meant none of the people gathered here were strong enough to prove to be a challenge and Nagi didn't feel he should use any more strength against unworthy enemies.

Still, he wanted to have some fun with the brats who interrupted his peaceful time and flashed a menacing smile across his face. "Don't tell me you plan on leaving already? Where's the fun in that? Show me your best and let me show you it will never be enough"

"...Forgive me, it seems that I have severely underestimated your abilities" Espada took a deep breath as she the activation of her Maken was imminent and she built her resolve. "I won't make that same mistake again!"

Espada dashed forward towards Nagi once again but this time, she used her Maken's special ability to change the friction around her body and lower it dramatically. In doing so, her speed was on an entirely different level than last time as she turned into a blur and circled around Nagi.

Nagi's eyes flinched immediately as he caught Espada's movements but had to try a bit harder to follow them. Clearly, she had done something to alter her basic movement speed but Nagi couldn't figure it out and decided to test out her improved speed.

He grinned in delight. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

" _Let's see how you handle your friction being increased!"_

Espada's Maken activated once again as her rapier began to shine brightly. This time, she had set the target to be the air around Nagi's body as she significantly raised its friction, hoping for it to impair his movement. It would be impossible for him to keep up with her now as she appeared in front of him and thrust her blade towards his abdomen.

Before contact however, Nagi's body moved out of the way in an instant, shocking Espada who didn't believe Nagi's body could move even after having the friction around it nearly doubled! Even more so because she had also increased her own friction! Just what kind of monster was he?

"Heh, not bad. I can see that you did something to my body along with your own but you'll have to do better than that!" Nagi shouted as he retracted his fist and aimed it towards Espada's beautiful face. Even though the friction around his arm had been slowed, it was still a deadly attack as Espada's body was drenched in a cold sweat and she barely dodged the blow.

"Hahhhh!" Espada roared, using a great deal of her arm strength to thrust her blade several hundreds of times towards Nagi. However, each strike was dodged as the two of them moved at lightning fast speed, shocking the spectators who were having trouble keeping up.

" _Such mastery of one's body, his close combat skills are praiseworthy!_ " Yan Min exclaimed n her head. She originally believed Nagi's true strength relied on his overwhelming destructive power, most likely from a Maken but was surprised to see that his physical abilities were nothing short of her own. No, they might even be greater!

"Espada can't hit him? How is that even possible...?" Hoshii gasped as she panted heavily, still feeling the injuries of her duel with Yan Min. Espada was the strongest of the third years and was unmatched in both speed and power in almost all of Tenbi, how could she struggle to hit her target.

As Espada continued to strike at Nagi who was dodging each blow, her interest towards him kept growing more and more. In the short time she had engaged with him, she couldn't believe that the gorgeous man she was fighting was actually able to make her feel so afraid that no one else she had fought before could. It was also even making her excited down there as she licked her lips seductively and continued to thrust forward, wanting to play with him more.

Just as Nagi had dodged another blow, he quickly grabbed onto the blade from the tip and held it with a firm grip. Usually, no one would dare touch a blade from its edge for fear of having their hand chopped off but Nagi ignored that as he coated his hands with magic to nullify the sharpness of the blade.

"That was a fun little trick, is there anything else you have to show me?" His voice was amused to say the least as Espada was far from a satisfying opponent but someone he could praise with decent skills. She was, at the very least, at the same level as old man Takeshi.

Espada chuckled in good humor, not even surprised that he had caught her blade with his hand. "Perhaps. You have certainly proven you are one of a kind, Nagi. Are you sure you aren't interested in coming with me to visit Otohime-dono? A man of your ability and looks will not be treated bad"

That was of course, a lie. Espada had no doubts that the moment Otohime got her hands on Nagi, he would be stripped of his free will and forced to become her slave puppet until he was no longer able to hold her attention. This wasn't new, Otohime had done it many times in the past with several good looking men she encountered. However, Nagi was the first to incite such a passionate reaction out of the young lady and Espada believed Nagi wouldn't be thrown away as quickly as the others, at the very least.

She thought it would also be a terrible shame for someone of Nagi's skill to be wasted like that. The list of men that satisfy Espada so perfectly were practically non existent so to her, meeting Nagi had been like winning the jackpot. Unfortunately, Otohime's orders were absolute and she had to rid herself of her selfish thoughts.

Nagi didn't saying anything in response towards Epsada but moved closer to her, with Espada's rapier still being gripped in his hand. She tried to back away just in case but Nagi forcibly pulled the grip on her blade towards himself, causing the girl to stumble forward rather clumsily. She stopped abruptly when she felt a pair of firm arms catching her by her slim waist as she looked up and flashed with bewilderment when she was face to face with Nagi, so close that she could see deep into his eyes and feel his breath on her face.

" _W-What is he doing?_ "

Espada had numerous interactions with men and woman, leaning on the girl's side, during her stay in both Tenbi and Kamigari. Everyone knew this. In all of those instances, Espada had initiated the contact and easily seduced and played with her targets one by one, her body desiring more and more with each passing day.

However, this was a completely different experience for Espada being faced with a man who showed no lustful desire for her while making such close proximity. She thought she could tell what a man was thinking from a glance but Nagi's eyes and face were filled with mystery and charm that made her veteran mind go numb. Getting a closer look at him, she could understand why Otohime was so taken by Nagi's looks earlier; he was by far the most attractive man she had ever gazed at. Unexpectedly, Espada felt her face redden as her eyes became glued towards Nagi's as they stood like that for what seemed to be an eternity.

"So, what's next?" said Nagi, not caring one bit what kind of situation this was being mistaken for. Truth be told, he just wanted to tease Espada a bit as he saw her elated facial expressions before and was curious about how she would deal with a guy this close to her.

"Eh?" Espada was tongue tied on what to do as she felt her handle on her [ **Furuno** ] weaken a bit, but still held onto it and awaited a moment to strike... if she could stop enjoying the proximity between them.

Watching the scene at hand, the girls all had blushes appear on their faces at Nagi's boldness when dealing with Espada, especially Yan Min who couldn't believe what she was seeing. One moment they were fighting and the next they were practically kissing, it was a disgrace to warriors everywhere!

"Is Espada... embarrassed!? T-That's impossible!" Hoshii couldn't believe it, since when did Espada feel embarrassed being that close to a man? She devoured hundreds of them before!

Akaya had no idea what was going on but thought this was a good chance and looked at Minerva. She seemed to pick up what her captain was getting at and nodded, activating her Maken. Minerva's [ **Aegis** ] had several unique abilities and the one she was going to use now was the power to create dimensional rifts in a specific area and move whatever she wanted to her own personal storage.

The space around the school building began to twist as Minerva's element leaked all over the surface, creating a force field that blocked out everything within the area. Now, no one could escape her domain as her eyes focused on where Nagi and Espada where.

"Which one?" Minerva asked in a solemn tone.

"You can't exhaust all of your powers, so only store Nagi away. Once we take care of Espada and her bunch, we'll deal with him"

"Understood"

Minerva's eyes flashed with a great surge of element behind them, homing in on Nagi's location as he immediately sensed something. He pushed Espada out of the way and felt his body beginning to change as his physical structure became transparent.

" _What the hell? What's going on with my body...?_ "

His puzzled expression didn't last long as soon, his body vanished completely and Minerva smiled beautifully. "It's complete. Sorry Nagi-san, we'll need you to stay quiet for a bit"

Espada was dumbfounded when Nagi had pushed her out of the way and didn't understand what happened to him but directed her gaze towards the smiling Minerva. She must have had a role to play in this as Espada stood up and grabbed her rapier, a sea of killing intent spreading across her face.

"What did you do with him?"

"Hm? Whatever do you mean, Espada-san?" Minerva played dumb as she didn't feel intimidated by Espada's glare in the least.

Espada gritted her teeth. "I said what the hell did you do to him, you bitch!"

This outburst caused a shock among everyone present as they stared at Espada with baffled expressions. Just where did that come from?

Espada herself seemed to realize what she had just said and covered her mouth, not even understanding why she had gotten so angry. Nagi's actions of pushing her out of the way replayed in her mind but she shook her head to deny the thought, she didn't believe he did it to save her. Still, the act seemed to cause a reaction in her heart and when she saw him disappear like that, she had gotten angry for some reason. How did that make any sense?

"Espada-san, you need not worry. I have not harmed Nagi-san, I have simply taken him out of the battle"

"Worried? Who said I was worried about him? That man is still my target and as such, I must capture him. Don't get in my way!"

Espada was done playing games as she branded her rapier once more and activated its full capabilities. Manipulating friction was more than simply increasing or decreasing a person's movement speed, it could also be used to in combination with weapons! She swung her sword forward, increasing the friction of her blade substantially and as a result, a sharp and thin blade of air was projected towards Minerva and Akaya.

Akaya clicked his tongue in annoyance. " _So she used the friction against her blade to create a blade of air? She's more skilled with one of the original eight Maken than I thought, but that doesn't matter!_ "

Cocking his pistol, Akaya loaded a special bullet and fired it towards the projectile of air. The collision between the two forces caused a huge explosion to occur on the school building, but that was quickly subdued by Minerva's dimensional barrier that hid most of the aftermath of the explosion.

After the smoke had cleared, Hoshii and Kajiru had regrouped with Espada on one side while Yan Min and Celia jumped backwards and regrouped with Akaya and Minerva. The battle had been heavy but it seemed to be tilting in Venus' side as they had secured Nagi and dealt damage to Espada's forces.

"Shit, those bitches aren't a joke. I thought I was going to die..." Hoshii complained as she was covered in light wounds all over the place and short a breath. That Yan Min was a serious monster!

Kajiru wasn't faring any better as she was helpless against Celia's overwhelming ability to dodge and attack, along with the girl's troublesome [ **Inverse** ] Maken that reversed practically anything in her sights. "They're tough..."

"Yes, and they're quite annoying" Espada grimaced as she tried to assess the situation. With both Kajiru and Hoshii injured and Nagi out of reach, it was the worst possible outcome she could have hoped for. Her orders were to secure Nagi at all costs and while she desperately wanted to do so for her own personal reasons, it was almost impossible now.

"Looks like the tables have turned, haven't they?" Akaya claimed as he posed elegantly in front of his squad, not a scratch on him. His side had attained victory without a single member being injured, who wouldn't feel proud after that?

Yan Min huffed as she wiped a few specs of dirt off her clothes. "You didn't even do anything special"

Celia nodded. "Yup, the captain was useless this time~"

Minerva also agreed. "Captain needs to start fighting on the front lines more often"

"You guys..." Akaya felt dejected at hearing his team diss him and slumped. Why couldn't he have been put in charge of another group beside these ungrateful brats?

Hoshii slowly moved closer to Espada and whispered in her ear "Now what? We can't even grab that Nagi guy anymore, why are we even still here?"

Espada couldn't refute her friend's words as she nodded. "...We don't have a choice. Otohime-dono will understand if we explain that Venus' strange abilities hampered our objective. Now, we need to focus on escaping..."

Though she said that, it wouldn't be that easy for them. At the moment, they were trapped in Minerva's dimension and unless they defeated her, they wouldn't get out anytime soon.

At that exact moment, a ripple in the air could be felt by all those standing inside Minerva's dimension as they looked puzzled. What was going on?

Minerva was easily the most curious as her dimensional barriers were unbreakable! Aside from a monster like Minori who broke through her barrier once before through nothing but sheer willpower, no one else should have the capability to do so! If that wasn't the case, what else could explain the distortion of her barrier?

The barrier continued to distort and in a moment, the entire school seemed to tremble as a crack was formed in between the two groups. Everyone looked closely at that crack before a terrifying amount of pressure was released from the crack, causing everyone present to hold their breaths as they dropped to their knees. It was mind boggling, the strength emitting from inside the crack made everyone, even Yan Min who wasn't shown to be afraid of anything, start sweating as she struggled to stand to her feet. No one knew what was going on but whatever was inside that crack was beyond terrifying!

Not a moment later, a man stepped out from the crack with his dashing brown cloak and crimson hair blowing with the wind. Everyone immediately recognized him but paled when they saw the murderous look on his face, clearly not the same laid back and carefree Nagi they were used too.

"N-N-Nagi!?" Akaya was stunned, unable to think straight. Last time he checked, Nagi was supposed to be trapped inside one of Minerva's dimensions. So how did he escape? And why did he look like so pissed off? It didn't make any sense!

A deep sigh escaped Nagi's mouth as he rolled his neck around and stretched his arms. "Finally got out of that annoying place. It was the worst"

Nagi's memories of the dimension he was stuck in plagued his mind as he never wanted to recall it again. Floating in a space of nothingness, it was torture! Nothing to do except think and float around, Nagi's anger and boredom accumulated when he couldn't remember a good spell to use to free himself and he managed to escape simply by releasing his magic energy outwards to cover his body, shattering the barrier.

" _Looks like I've made quite the discovery, if I coat my body in magic then it seems that I can't be affected by the properties of a Maken"_

His eyes then turned towards Espada and her girls who were now beginning to get back up after the frightening pressure coming from Nagi had disappeared "What, you guys are still here? You still haven't finished the battle?"

Time flowed differently between the normal world and a dimension. Generally, speaking, it was much slower for those in the dimension as their sense of time was diminished and what felt like hours would only amount to a few minutes in real time.

"H-How did you escape!? It's impossible!" Minerva felt as if she was losing her common sense at having her barriers broken twice, first by Minori and now Nagi. When she sensed that black substance within him before, she had a feeling he wasn't ordinary and now she understood why. He was a freak of the same nature as Minori!

Instead of getting an explanation, Minerva received a fierce glare from the ticked off Nagi and shrank backwards towards seeing Nagi in such a manner. Did she perhaps go too far?

"Be quiet, I'll deal with you in a minute"

"...Yes sir"

Akaya and the rest of the Venus squad were shocked beyond belief. Minerva listened to Nagi's harsh scolding and kept her mouth shut! This cunning girl that regularly disrespected her captain obeyed Nagi in an instant, who could have seen that coming?

Nagi's eyes then turned to the figures of Espada, Kajiru, and Hoshii who flinched when their gazes met his. Those powerful eyes that made them fear what Nagi might do them caused them all look away and pretend they didn't make eye contact with him.

"Sorry about before, that idiot over there did something stupid that ruined our fight" Nagi claimed as he pointed a finger at Minerva who remained quiet and had a stream of nervous sweat running down her face. "Do you want to pick up where we left off?"

"Huh? W-Well..." Espada stammered for a minute as she looked at her team mates who were not too thrilled about the idea. They had just gotten out of a tough fight against the Venus girls and now they were supposed to fight against that behemoth over there who had that terrifying aura from before? Screw that!

Espada shook her head in disappointment and decided to throw in the towel; the battle was already lost.

"I apologize but we'll have to decline; it seems we've met our match here. Even though I personally wouldn't mind, my comrades are at their limits so fighting against so many enemies wouldn't be wise"

Though she said that, Espada had no intentions of leaving just like this and had a backup plan just in case to swipe Nagi and escape away from Venus thanks to the hole made by Nagi.

Minerva sensed something amiss and shouted. "Watch out, she's up to something!"

"Too late!" Espada yelled, swiping her rapier with all of her strength in front of her. The friction that she created in doing so was incomparable to before as an enormous blade of air flew towards Nagi and the Venus group.

Akaya paled as he saw the size of the blade, realizing that if they didn't stop it, the explosion it would cause could destroy the entire building they were standing on! He turned to Minerva with hope in his eyes but she shook her head.

"There's not enough time for me to stop it!"

This was bad! Just as the Venus squad began to panic, Nagi stepped forward to intercept the large blade of air and held his hand out. Lightning sparks began to form onto it as a sea of electricity surrounded his entire body, even radically sprouting from his legs outwards as the energy from his magic couldn't be contained.

Yan Min's eyes opened wide in surprise. Thanks to her Maken, she was able to utilize electricity to a certain degree but what Nagi was doing was something she wasn't familiar with. Instead of electricity, this was lightning! Everyone knew that electricity was merely a man made generation of lightning, the latter of which was one of the forces of Mother Nature!

Espada didn't know what was going on with Nagi's body but she wasn't worried. With the size of that blade, there wasn't a possibility of anyone stopping it without creating an explosion big enough to give them time to escape. In that moment, she was going to secure Nagi and make a break for it!

When the blade of air was about to hit Nagi, a confident smrik graced his lips as he activated the spell. "Burst Lightning"

In a flash, the lightning gathered around Nagi had condensed itself into a creature of lightning that took the form of a large dragon with deep red eyes and large fangs. The dragon erupted from Nagi's palm outwards towards the blade of air which collided with it, the two opposing forces struggling to gain a lead on one another. However, that didn't last very long as the blade of air was consumed by the dragon of lightning that gobbled it up as if it was a restaurant delicacy.

"N-No way!" Espada was stunned into disbelief as her mind stopped working. Her blade of air was... eaten!?"

"Kyaa! W-What is that!?" Celia screamed in terror, though she still sounded rather charming while doing so as the dragon of lightning was something she never saw before.

"It's a dragon made of lightning but... how was he able to summon it?" Akaya questioned but even to him, what Nagi had just did passed the realm of basic element manipulation.

A sense of terror came over the third years as they stood across the snarling dragon of thunder that looked ready to devour them in one big gulp as it swirled around Nagi's body. Just what kind of Maken was Nagi using to perform such amazing feats that he could not only escape from a dimensional barrier but also summon some sort of lightning monster? No, a better question would be just what kind of being was he?

Seeing their frightened expressions, Nagi felt prideful that his tactic of scaring them had worked. "What's wrong ladies? Your the ones that started this game after confronting me, and now that you've seen what I can do, you don't want to play anymore?"

"W-We were only following orders from our boss to come and get you! If we knew what kind of power you had, we wouldn't have bothered you!" Hoshii tried to reason, hoping to talk her way out of this. At this point, it was either they try to negotiate with him or try make a break for it when he let his guard down.

Unfortunately for her, Nagi didn't care at all for their reasons and merely raised his index finger at the startled trio who had a bad feeling of what was about to happen. A mischevious smirk appeared on Nagi's face as he gave his conjured dragon one simple command.

"Eat up"

"Grrrrrr!"

The dragon's snarling got the attention of Espada and the others as they hurriedly tried to escape from the dragon's wrath. They were fighting an uphill battle as the lightning dragon was far too fast to lose out in speed to a group of mere humans and opened its mouth wide to consume them. Espada, Hoshii, and Kajiru could immediately feel the unimaginable power radiating from the beast and were now sweating in fear as they realized their lives were about to end. No matter how much they struggled, they couldn't escape from the lightning dragon.

Seeing no other option and extremely desperate, Espada gritted her teeth as she reached into her buxom and pulled out a small capsule with a dim light flashing inside. She immediately crushed it in her hands and threw it forward, the capsule then expanding outward into a small circle with numerous symbols on it. Resigning to her fate, Espada then turned around and branded her sword to face the monster in front of her as Hoshii along with Kajiru kept running forward, checking back only to be stunned by Espada's actions.

"Espada! What the hell are you doing? Come with us!" Hoshii yelled, her voice wrought with worry and panic.

Kajiru nodded. "Follow us!"

Espada shook her head. "Otohime-dono gave us that teleportation portal as a last resort and it'll take a few seconds to use. That dragon will crush us before the portal can activate so I'll buy some time for you two. It's the least I can do as the commander of this failed mission"

Hearing that, Hoshii and Kajiru didn't know what to say as they themselves had never seen Espada act in such a noble and selfless manner. Even though she she was selfish and was only cooperating with Kamigari and Otohime due to the brainwashing along with the poison, Espada still held her pride and valor as a senior student that wanted to protect those that looked up to her.

"Now go!" Espada yelled as she futilely tried to block the lightning dragon's path by creating a wall of friction. It was a hopeless endeavor as the dragon was only momentarily delayed, bulldozing its way through and opened its mouth wide to swallow her.

"Espada!" Hoshii and Kajiru were almost close to tears and not a moment later, their bodies were then transported away from the school building.

A grateful smile came onto Espada's face as she saw her companions leave in good health, now turning to face the monstrosity in front of her. There was no trace fear on her face anymore, only an acceptance of her doomed fate along with a sense of regret as she just wished she could have played with more cute girls before her unexpected demise. It was truly a pity.

The dragon made contact with Espada's body and the entire dimension was filled with the sound of electricity, traces of light covering the entire zone. Akaya and the rest of the squad were forced to cover their eyes and wait for the light to subside as the monstrous energy that they felt from Nagi began to die down.

Not long after that, the lights had soon vanished and to everyone's surprise, the school building hadn't suffered much damage at all as Akaya scanned the area. Aside from a few cracked tiles that were created by the fighting and the sizzling sound of lightning, everything was fine.

Akaya's eyes then swiftly darted over towards where Espada's corpse was and to his surprise, she was laying on the floor upright as her body was lightly scorched from the lightning but looked relatively in good shape. She survived!

"What, how is that possible? She took that lightning monstrosity head on and only suffered that much damage?"

Akaya refused to believe it. If it was anyone else, they surely would have been either killed or heavily wounded from that attack.

"If that dragon carried the same power as it did when it first came out, then you're right. However, I retracted most of its power before it swallowed blondie over there" Nagi stated as he strode forward towards Espada's body.

"Y-You did? W-Why would you do that?" Akaya asked with uncertainty.

Nagi frowned as he looked back at Akaya with a disapproving glance. "Did you really think I was going to murder three students just like that? Am I that heartless to you? I just wanted to give them a scare"

"U-Uh no that's not what I meant. Please pardon how I phrased that..." Even Akaya was quick to apologize and shut up before Nagi who shrugged in response and grabbed Espada's body.

He lifted her off the ground in a bridal style sort of carry and walked towards the Venus group as they gulped internally and remembered the choice of words he used towards them earlier. Especially Minerva, who couldn't calm down as Nagi had succeeded in intimidating her.

"Now then" He stopped short in front of Akaya who flinched when Nagi's gaze penetrated his own. "You have business with me as well?"

Akaya remained silent as he attempted to come to a decision as quickly as possible. Nagi wasn't one known for his patience as he demonstrated today and he feared angering the dangerous fellow more than he did angering Minori.

After giving it some thought, Akaya shook his head. "We'll call it quits for today. We came here to see your objective and determine whether you were an ally or enemy of Tenbi. Though we don't trust you and are suspicious about your origins, we'll back off and see how you continue to work with the school"

Nagi had to give Akaya his credit as his decision making in a situation with as much as pressure as the one he was just in was noteworthy. Well, it wouldn't have mattered to him anyway whether he wanted to fight or not since Nagi had grasped almost all of their abilities back then and was prepared to deal with them on his own.

"Is that so? Guess your not as dumb as you are goofy, later sparkles" He leisurely turned around as he headed back towards his room with Espada still being carried.

Akaya, ignoring the insulting nickname, found the scene of Nagi carrying Espada in that way too strange and spoke up about it. "Excuse me but, what are you planning to do with that girl? She's connected with Kamigari so shouldn't we treat her injuries and attempt to get information out of her?"

Nagi abruptly stopped and turned around with a scrunched face. "And just where the hell do you think I was taking her? What, you thought I was going to bring her to my room to have my way with her? Is that your inner character? You pervert commander"

"Wha...!?" Akaya was flabbergasted at being called _another_ demeaning nickname and turned around to see his subordinates holding their mouths to cover their laughter. Akaya coughed in an attempt to redirect the attention off of himself. "I see, as long as you plan to interrogate her then all is fine"

Nagi snorted and then vanished from Venus' sights as he jumped from the school building.

The atmosphere around the Venus group seemed to ease up with Nagi's disappearance but they weren't happy about that at all as collected sighs could be heard from all of them. In today's battle, many more questions had popped up but the most prominent one was simply, what kind of being was Nagi? His strength was ludicrous, to the point where his aura and energy made them feel pressured.

Just like Minerva had said, there wasn't a single trace of element on him and judging based on earlier, he didn't use a Maken. If that was the case, just what kind of power did he possess?

The mysterious crimson haired magician had left his mark among the members of Venus.

* * *

"You useless bunch of garbage!"

A thunderous voice came from inside Kamigari's hidden base as Otohime was sitting on a chair and stared coldly at Kajiru and Hoshii who arrived back without either Espada or Nagi.

They had nothing to say as they relayed the events that had transpired earlier to their master and in response, both of them received a harsh scolding from the enraged Otohime who couldn't believe her ears.

"It's bad enough that you weren't able to bring that man back to me, but now you're telling me that Espada has been killed? I thought I told you that failure wouldn't be tolerated!" Her cold gaze made both Kajiru and Hoshii shudder as they wondered what kind of fate awaited them now that Otohime's mood was ruined.

Hoshii attempted to ease her foul temper. "Please forgive us Otohime-dono, we weren't aware that Venus would ambush us like that. If we had known-

"Silence! I don't want to listen to your poorly made excuses. Those Venus bitches aren't that strong, you shouldn't have had a problem!"

Though she said that, Otohime had already seen the strength that was displayed by Celia of Venus on the summer island so she knew they weren't pushovers. Even still, that shouldn't have mattered as none of them possess any of the original eight Maken so Espada and the others shouldn't have lost.

The real problem came with this man known as Nagi. According to Hoshii, not only did he toy around with Espada even after she had activated her Maken, he summoned some sort of dragon type monster that took Espada's was well beyond her expectations as Otohime chewed on her thumbnails in frustration, trying to think of a countermeasure.

" _I've lost a pretty powerful piece in Espada now that she's dead... wait, dead? No, they didn't confirm if she was dead or not. I must first confirm it..._ "

Otohime snapped her fingers and immediately, an attractive silver haired woman walked into the room wearing a tight silk dress and holding a clipboard. Like many of the girls, she had a voluptuous body and favorable looks as she was designated to be one of Yamato Takeru's concubines.

"You, has there been any change to the life meter regarding the third years?" Otohime didn't even bother to use her name as to her, this woman wasn't worthy of even that.

"Of course Otohime-sama" she then flipped through the clipboard and shook her head. "There hasn't been a report of the life meter to any of the girls. The last report was updated five minutes ago"

"Then that settles it, Espada is still alive" Otohime grimaced, earning shocked reactions from both Kajiru and Hoshii. Espada was still alive? How was that even possible? They surely saw her figure being consumed by that enormous dragon!

Otohime scanned their facial expressions and saw no deceit in them, choosing not to punish them for their false information. Something may have happened after they left so she couldn't hold them at fault for that.

"Now that we know Espada is still alive and in enemy hands, I'm sure your both aware of what I have to do now, right?"

A dark realization hit both of them as they knew exactly what Otohime was referring too. Yumemiya, who was standing in the corner all this time, also seemed to realize this and nervously trembled as she feared for Espada's life.

Reaching into her buxom, Otohime pulled out the small remote she had brought out not too long ago and waved it in her hand. With the simple push of a button, she could end the life of a powerful ability user in a heartbeat.

"Even though I don't want to do this, I'm left with no choice. Those wretched girls will no doubt try to probe information out of Espada and as tough as she is, she might leak some info. That is unacceptable and as a member of the Yamato Family, it is my responsibility to destroy any and all leaks"

"P-Please wait Otohime-boss! There must be another way!" After Espada had sacrificed herself to save both her and Kajiru, Hoshii's sense of guilt had reached its breaking point and she couldn't sit back and let Otohime kill one of her few classmates she didn't mind hanging around.

Otohime coldly stared at Hoshii. "It's far too late. Blame yourselves for not being able to persuade Nagi to our side. It is unfortunate though, as Esapda was one of the few subordinates I did cherish" Otohime's finger then made its way towards the red button slowly as Kajiru and Hoshii attempted to stop her.

Unfortunately, they were halted by numerous Kamigari soldiers restraining them as they struggled relentlessly to prevent Otohime from killing Espada. She wasn't their close friend but Espada was someone they liked, even if she was a sexual predator. They wanted to see her again after she had saved them!

A sneering laugh came from Otohime when she saw their futile efforts. "You were all barely friends back at Tenbi and now your bond is close that you would cry for one another? How odd, I thought we erased such useless feelings during the brainwashing"

With no more hesitation, Otohime pressed the red button on the remote, sneering codly as Kajiru and Hoshii both shed tears and felt helpless at being unable to prevent the death of their former leader and friend.

* * *

"Ugh..."

Espada felt her consciousness returning as her body slowly twitched and her eyes began to open. The once blurry and fuzzy image she was seeing became resolute and it occurred to Espada that she was looking at a ceiling in a room, with her body laying on a soft and comfortable bed.

She immediately got up, wincing slightly as the slight pain in her waist felt like a stinging needle. That was the spot that Nagi had pushed her after he held her close and her memories of what occurred on the building came flooding back into her mind.

"Am I... alive? How..."Espada couldn't understand how she had survived that immense attack from Nagi. She felt for sure that at that moment, she was going to die.

Espada looked around the room and saw that she was no longer on the school building and was now in the school's nursery, a place she knew all too well. How many victims had she brought here and seduced when she skipped class to play around?

Ignoring those fond memories, Espada looked at her wounds and noticed she was stitched up already and didn't understand who had not only healed her injuries, but also taken her here. Last time she checked, Nagi had used some sort of powerful attack that she no doubt believed would have taken her life so the only person who could have brought her here would be...

"This isn't making any sense...wait, where's my [ **Furuno** ]!?"

Espada frantically searched for her prized Maken but unable to locate it and cursed under her breath. Those from Tenbi must have confiscated it already, in which case more than half of Espada's true strength had been cut down without that weapon. She was still confident she could defeat most ability users without her weapon but if she were to inform Otohime that she had lost one of the original eight Maken to the enemy...

Just then, the sound of the door sliding opened alerted Espada's attention as she saw the beautiful figure of the school's nurse, Aki Nijou step inside wearing her usual white lab coat.

"Oh, I see your awake" Aki smiled sweetly towards Espada who had her suspicions that Aki was the one who stitched her back up but still held her guard. She was after all, in enemy territory.

Taking a seat at her desk, Aki crossed her legs as she flipped a strand of her long cerulean hair out of her eyes and glanced at Espada with a straight face. "Your injuries were fall less than what we expected, you should be grateful to Nagi-san"

Espada's eyes flashed with surprise when she heard that. "Nagi? He helped me?"

Aki nodded. "He informed me that there was a fight on the roof between you guys and Venus and that he risked his life to shield you from Venus. I still couldn't believe he did such a selfless thing, what an amazing young man..." Aki's voice trailed off in admiration as she was unaware of the blank look coming from Espada.

"..."

Silence enveloped the room as Espada's eyebrows twitched in disbelief at what Aki had just told her. Nagi saved her from Venus? Bullshit! He was the one who almost killed her! Where did he get off claiming he had saved her?

When she really thought about it though, wasn't that exactly the case? Intention aside, Espada was still here and breathing, almost no noticeable injuries to speak of. Though she believed that her life had come to an end, here she was laying on a bed in front of the nurse. Wasn't what Aki said the truth? Did Nagi... really save her?

Aki seemed to guess the reluctance in Espada's heart as she smiled in a sympathetic manner. She then reached for the silver counter next to her chair and picked up the clipboard, swiping the page. "I've already run a diagnosis on your body, you'll be fine with a day's worth of rest"

"And what of my Maken? Where did you guys take it?" Espada asked more than demanded as she was aware she neither had the strength nor right to ask for it back.

"Minori confiscated the weapon and has it with her. As for why I'm telling you, you are a former student and were one of my favorites so it's not a problem for me"

Espada was momentarily stunned as she recalled numerous times she visited Aki in the nursery. With Espada's maturity, the two of them spent alot of time together discussing life and other important matters, such as Aki's inability to get a boyfriend and how her mother was always nagging her to bring a man back home. Such... fond memories Espada had.

Just then, Espada felt a throbbing sensation inside her head as she clutched it in agony, unable to comprehend what was going on. Those memories she had never bothered her before but for some reason now, it made her head hurt unimaginably as it seemed her brain was trying to lock up those memories again.

Aki noticed Espada's strange behavior and stood up, rushing to her side. "Are you feeling alright?"

It took some time before Espada responded as she was beginning to calm down and then slowly nodded her head."Y-Yea... I'm fine"

Aki wasn't convinced and frowned but could do nothing as Espada was still technically on the enemies side so she didn't have the incentive to question her further.

"..Thank you"

Aki blinked several times when he heard that and cocked her head to the side. "Excuse me?"

Espada flushed red as she coughed and bowed her head respectfully. "I'm giving you my thanks"

"But why?"

"You treated my wounds even though I am your enemy, for that I am grateful towards you Aki-sensei"

Hearing Espada address her in such a familiar and nostalgic way almost brought a tear to the older woman's eye as she sniffed a bit and crossed her arms, her bountiful breasts bouncing up in the process. "Please do not worry about it"

Espada smiled, content with the atmosphere going on in the room... before a voice completely ruined that.

"Darn, I thought this was a set up for some hot girl on girl action"

Espada and Aki swiftly turned to the window next to the bed and saw none other than Nagi sitting there with his legs dangling inside, a charming smile present on his face.

"N-Nagi-san?" Aki asked skeptically as she wondered what he was doing here.

"...Nagi..." Espada voice trailed off as the figure of her greatest opponent was only a few steps away from her. This was a first for her as her heart felt a bit nervous now that the battle was over and she was reluctant to speak with him so soon.

Hopping inside of the room, Nagi produced a mischievous grin as he saw Espada's current state. "Seems your holding up alright. It's a good thing I came to save you when I did, right?"

"..."

Unable to answer Nagi's persistent claim, Espada didn't say a word as she silently stared at the mysterious man standing before her. She had a million different things but after thinking things through, Nagi did indeed save her life and she wasn't one to neglect her debts.

"...Thank you"

"No problem" Nagi grinned in a friendly manner and then turned to Aki. "You mind keeping an eye on her for the night? I'm exhausted and want to get some rest"

Aki had no qualms with that arrangement and would have done so without his suggestion. "Of course"

Once that was settled, Nagi began to leave the room from the front door but was halted when Espada grabbed onto his brown cloak. Not sure what else she wanted; Nagi turned his head and raised his brow. "What's wrong?"

Espada clenched her grip on Nagi's cloak tighter and looked at him with a gaze that held endless curiosity. "Nagi, just who are-

Before she could finish her sentence, a clicking sound could be heard coming from the black necklace on Espada's neck as she let go of Nagi's cloak and began to hold her throat. She paled as she realized what was about to happen and began coughing up blood as her body tossed and turned on the bed.

"Gahhh!" She screamed in pure agony as the poison had been circulated throughout her lungs and she found it extremely difficult to breathe.

"Espada-san!" Aki screamed in fear as she dashed over immediately to find out what was going on.

Nagi didn't have the foggiest idea on what was going on and joined her by Espada's bed side. "What's happening?"

"I-I don't know!" Aki was filled with anxiety as she saw the area around Espada's neck turn purple and then stared at the black necklace around her neck that was blinking red "It must be because of that necklace!"

Nagi followed Aki's sights to the blinking black necklace and narrowed his eyes. "So that's the problem? No big deal!"

He immediately reached his hand out to grab the necklace and poured his magic power into his fingers. Once that was done, he gripped on the necklace as hard as he could and it was shattered into hundreds of small pieces as they laid on Espada's bed side.

However, that didn't seem to help anything as Espada continued to scream out in agony and was pounding her bed side.

"What was that device?" Nagi shouted in a tone more aggressive than his usual one.

Aki shook her head, unable to answer him. "I have no idea but it seems to have carried something that is spreading through Espada's body. I'm going to run a full diagnostic on her!"

Aki immediately got to work as she activated the power of her Maken, [ **Valhelm** ] which gave her the power to almost instantly scan a person's body and figure out what problems were plaguing their system. Her eyes looked at Espada's body from top to bottom and everything seemed alright until she stopped at the neck and her eyes widened in shock.

What she saw was an enormous black patch that was spreading through her larynx and heading downwards into her trachea. Aki now knew what she was dealing with as she turned to Nagi with a fearful expression.

"It's a type of poison! I've never seen this kind before and its slowly moving through her body and will reach her heart not before long!"

Nagi's eyes went wide with surprise as he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He then looked at Espada as if she was an idiot. "Why the hell would you carry around a necklace with poison on it?"

Despite the fact that Espada was in tremendous pain, she still had enough strength left to utter out a few words.

"Otohime-dono… gave us all poison… necklaces as insurance… so that we… we wouldn't be able to reveal… Kamigari's secrets…"

When they heard that, both Aki and Nagi were wrought with shock and anger at Kamigari's methods. Just how low where they willing to go just to ensure their secrets were kept? These were people's lives they were playing at!

Nagi especially seemed pissed off as his body trembled and his fists looked ready to punch the next thing that looked at him the wrong way. People like that who would abandon their own comrades when they became useless? Those people were the ones that Nagi hated the most as the idea of throwing away Jack, Alberio, Arika, or even his niece Nekane was completely unthinkable.

Espada was panting heavily and blood began to come from the corner of her mouth as she lay on the bed and awaited her dire fate. "It's okay… I knew this would… happen. I have… no regrets"

Aki shook her head furiously as she grabbed one of Espada's hands. "No! I will never allow something like this to happen to one of my students! You can't die like this, Espada-san! I will… I will save you!"

Espada looked at Aki with a warm gaze and shook her head slowly. "You cannot… the poison… is too strong… it's made from… a source that no one… could cure… Besides… I only have… a minute or so… left"

Aki paled when she heard those words as she scanned Espada's body all over. She wasn't lying; at the rate the poison was spreading, it would reach Espada's heart in less than a minute and her life would come to an end the moment it did. Aki tried to wrap her head around saving her but couldn't come up with any ideas. The only person she could think of that could help was Celia due to [ **Inverse** ] Maken, but she wasn't here!

Tears began to flow down her face as she watched helplessly as one of her students was dying right in front of her. How could she call herself a doctor if she couldn't save the life of one dying girl?

Nagi stayed quiet, thinking of his options to save this woman's life. He wasn't close to Espada at all, in fact they were enemies not even an hour ago. However, to let this pitiful girl die just like this when he could have stopped it would probably haunt him forever and he didn't want to live his life with regrets anymore. Still, what could he do? He wasn't a doctor, and there was less than a minute left. In regards to magic, there were healing spells to cure sicknesses but Nagi was a combat mage and so his knowledge of those spells were nonexistent. If it was his master or Alberio, then they could definitely save this girl no problem but Nagi had hit a brick wall. If only he could have used his pactio card to get in contact with his companions… wait, pactio?

Pactio! That was it!

Nagi smiled contently as he glanced towards the trembling Espada with a questioning glance. Before he tried to save this girl, he needed to know one thing.

"Blondie, I might have a method to save your life. However, I need to know what your intentions are after you are healed"

Both Aki and Espada were stunned to hear what Nagi had just proclaimed in front of them, with Espada not buying it as she weakly smiled. If she was going to die anyway, she would play along with him. "If I truly… can be saved… I would fight for Tenbi… and pledge my… allegiance towards the one who saved… my life... I swear it... on my life..."

Espada followed the ways of "knighthood" and honored all of her agreements. If she said she would do something in the name of the knight, she definitely meant it.

"You won't turn on us and fight for those Kamigari guys again?" Nagi asked.

Espada weakly shook her head. "They've already…thrown me away… I have no obligation… towards them… anymore"

Though she said that, Espada's brainwashing seemed to still have lingering effects and in her mind, her loyalty towards Yamato Takeru was still strong enough for her to reconsider betraying them if she was saved.

Aki stood up and wiped her face filled with tears and went by Nagi's side. "Nagi-san, can you truly save her?"

Nagi nodded his head as he cracked his knuckles and heard everything he needed to hear. "You bet, I just needed to know what her intentions would be once I saved her. Now that I know, I can proceed with my plan"

"B-But how? What can you do that can save Espada?"

Nagi grinned once more as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a folded brown scroll that he had stored into his cloak for a time such as this one. The scroll was old and had many inscriptions plastered over its contents.

"I'm going to make a pactio contract with her"

* * *

 **Woah! It looks like Nagi is ready to make Espada into one of his pactio partners? Anyone see that coming? For those who aren't aware of what a Pactio contract is, you can read about it on the Negima Wiki or google it.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey all! Sorry I wasn't able to post my chapter on the deadline, school has started back up so it was difficult for me to retain the schedule. Christmas was the day I was going to post but it wasn't ready by then. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the 13th chapter and I really appreciate anyone who likes the story.**

 **Chapter 13: The Pactio Contract!**

* * *

"Pactio... contract?"

The word that Nagi had just uttered was unfamiliar to Aki as she blinked her eyes confusedly. Just what exactly was Nagi planning to do?

"Mm." Nagi nodded as he held the brown scroll in his hand and undid the seal on the center, allowing the contents of the page to fold out into a full document. Aki walked closer to examine the writing and was stunned when she saw that she was unable to read the the language inscribed on it.

"What language is this?"

"It's old western Latin. Where I'm from, Latin is one of the founding languages of all forms of magic"

Aki felt as if she was a student again listening to Nagi's rather interesting lesson regarding magic language but knew it wasn't the time to be excited as she trusted Nagi and kept quiet, observing his actions. With Espada's time running out, she didn't have much of a choice and relied on the mysterious power that Nagi wielded to save her former student.

Nagi then proceeded to lay the scroll on the ground and bit into his index finger, a small trail of blood now dripping from the tip. He took his finger and placed it on the document, carving his name in blood that he wrote at the top of the page. Once that was completed, he pressed his index finger within the circle and began pouring his magic inside of it. Moments later, the scroll began to radiate a white glow as Nagi's magical energy was clearly affecting it and Aki took a few steps back just in case.

After Nagi had closed his eyes, he began to recite the chant.

"I, Magister Magi Nagi Springfield hereby invoke the contract to call forth the beast that dwells within this scroll. Come forth!"

As Nagi's eye opened, the scroll that had been laid on the floor exploded as white smoke covered the room, causing Aki to cover her face.

"W-What's going on?" she asked, unaware of what to make Nagi's actions.

As the smoke cleared, Aki's eyes focused back on where Nagi had placed the scroll and they widened in astonishment at witnessing a small rodent with white fur now standing where the scroll had been placed.

"A-A ferret?" Aki announced disbelievingly.

The rodent seemed to hear what Aki had just called it and glared at her with an annoyed expression. "Listen here full top, I ain't no damn ferret, I'm an Ermin! Who the hell are you calling a ferret, aah!?"

Stunned by its rather crude language, more so than the fact that a freaking animal just talked, Aki was quick to apologise. "Oh U-Uhm... sorry" she then turned to Nagi who had an amused expression on his face. "W-What did you just do, Nagi-san?"

Nagi stood up and shrugged in response to Aki's question. "I just used a summoning scroll to bring forth a familiar. This is Chloe, say hi"

Summoning scrolls were a popular magic item found in the Mundus Magicus that any magician could purchase. Captured magical beasts could be stored within those scrolls and summoned at any given time, only requiring a magician's blood and magic to release the spell. The level of magic required to release the type of beast sealed depended on the user and the stronger the magician, the stronger the beast.

Aki was puzzled as she turned back to the annoyed ermin standing in front of Nagi as it stretched its rather small and petite body that didn't even reach up to his ankles. How was this creature going to help them save Espada?

"We're out of time, I'll explain what I did later" Nagi stated as he then glanced towards Chloe who noticed Nagi's firm gaze. "Chloe, I need you to form a pactio circle right now"

"Oh?" Chloe humoured as she crossed her petite fingers. "It's been a long time since you've summoned me boss, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Nagi and Chloe were well acquainted with one another as Nagi had used Chloe's services of being the mediator between pactio contracts numerous times. Aside from her rather feisty personality, Chloe was one of the best in business so Nagi felt that a mage of his caliber should equally have a mediator of the same stature.

Nagi scratched the back of his head. "It's complicated. Let's just say I can't stand to see a beautiful woman die at such a young age without doing anything"

Chloe snorted as she looked around the room and observed both the voluptuous beauties in the room. "Hah, I see you haven't changed a bi as you're still as much of a lady killer as I remember. I'll get right on it, boss"

Chloe started to work on the pactio circle as she withdrew a piece of chalk and began drawing a tetragram on the floor. With her speed and efficiency, it didn't take longer than a few seconds to complete the tetragram and she grinned with an arrogant look. "Piece of cake"

Nagi rolled his eyes but thanked her nonetheless. "I appreciate this, when I get back home I'll give you some nice treats. Just name it"

Chloe raised her eyebrow. "Back home? Where are you now? Now that I think about it, this place doesn't feel like the Mundus Magicus..."

"I can't explain it well myself but all you need to know is that I was transported to a different world. Don't worry though, I'll find a way back home"

Chloe still had more questions regarding Nagi's explanation but chose not to ask them now. She believed in Nagi unconditionally so asking them later wasn't a problem.

Once the circle had been finished, Nagi walked forward and looked at the trembling body of Espada that had black spots growing all over her body. It was horrific; her skin was becoming paler by the second and her once beautiful complexion had been ruined completely. She must have been barely conscious as she let out weak moans every now and then, probably too tired to even scream out in agony.

" _...Who could do such a thing to their own companion?_ "

Nagi slowly picked up Espada's body from the bed and carried it towards the tetragram that was drawn on the floor. He placed her gently down where she covered most of the circle and he bent down, cradling her upper torso in his arms.

Aki swallowed her spit as she clasped her hands in a prayer and waited for what Nagi was about to do. She had no idea what a contract was but surely it must be good, right? Her heart couldn't stop shaking as Espada's health deteriorated with each passing moment.

"The contract's all set boss; all you need to do now is give that beauty the seal" Chloe stated as she scurried over towards Aki and climbed up her legs, now comfortably sitting on her shoulders.

"A seal? What kind of seal?" Aki asked, not fazed by the small creature's close proximity.

A glint of mischievousness appeared in Chloe's eyes as she grinned at Aki. "It's no big deal. Like usual, all the boss needs to do is give blondie over there a smooch"

"...Eh?"

Aki thought she heard wrong as she stared at the figure of Chloe looking at her with a blank expression. Did she just say they needed to kiss?

"What's your problem?" Chloe asked as she raised her eyebrow.

"N-Nothing! I-It's... Well a kiss is just..." Aki felt her face redden in embarrassment as she thought about the seal to a pactio contract. She had never had a boyfriend before, let alone kissed another man so it wasn't a surprise that she was so innocent and flustered.

Chloe took Aki's reaction with shock and tilted her head. "Wait, you haven't kissed anyone? Seriously? How old are you? Isn't that kind of sad for a woman your age?"

"W-What does that mean!?" Aki furiously asked with reddened cheeks as she couldn't believe she was being insulted like this by a talking rodent. What nerve did this ermin have to talk about her private life!

"Oi! Stop teasing her already and activate the circle!" Nagi shouted, not in the mood to waste any more time. Were they both idiots? There was a dying girl right in front of them and they're talking about crap you'd hear in a girl's locker room!

"Ah! Sorry bout that boss, leave it to me!" Chloe responded as she scurried off of Aki and made her way over towards the outskirts of the tetagram, waving her hand in the air to begin the contract. Immediately, a radiant light flashed from the magic drawing and both Nagi and Espada's bodies both began to shine brightly as the warm sensation of the dazzling energy enveloped their bodies.

Chloe nodded her head, satisfied with her work and winked at Nagi. "The stage is set, take it away player"

After being given the green light, Nagi caressed the soft and delicate features of Espada's face in his hands and began to bring them closer to his own. It was a good thing Arika wasn't here to see this, she probably would have killed him ten times over for doing something like this.

Aki's eyes flashed with both interest and embarrassment as she couldn't believe what was about to happen! She wanted to look away but couldn't as her eyes were glued to the scene before her. She had seen many romance novels where the main character would passionately kiss the female heroine in a romantic manner and craved for a situation like that sometime in her life. Seeing that scenario play out right in front of her was a bit stimulating as she felt her face redden.

Esapda's body was gradually feeling the effects of the warm magic entering her system as her eyes slowly opened and what came into sight was something she never would have expected or foreseen. Just when her vision had cleared up, Espada came to the realization that Nagi and herself were moments away from kissing and she blushed immensely, unable to understand how they ended up like this.

"N-Nagi...?" She was still lacking most of her strength as her voice came off as more of a whisper. Nagi didn't seem to hear her as his face got closer and closer until their noses finally made contact with one another and they could feel each other's breaths.

Moments later, the door to the infirmary broke open as Minori kicked the door down and rushed in alongside Takeshi. They heard a loud and clear scream coming from the room that Espada had been left in and were worried something might have happened to Aki.

"Aki, are you okay!?" Minori screamed as she darted her head in every direction and was beyond relieved when she saw Aki standing there unharmed. However, that relief soon turned to curiosity as she saw Aki with an embarrassed expression and cupping her face. Just what was going on here?

"Why is it so bright in here...?" Takeshi questioned as he squinted his eyes in the direction of where the light was coming from, momentarily blinking as what he just saw surprised him completely. "What in the world...?"

Minori looked at Takeshi with a confused glance but soon followed his eyes to the two figures on the ground beside the bed and widened her eyes in utter shock.

Nagi and Espada were currently kissing as Nagi held onto Espada's face with his hands, unaware of the flush of embarrassment present on Espada's face as she gripped Nagis' black shirt tightly and allowed the kiss to continue.

"Just what the hell is going on in here!?" Minori roared in an outrage as she stomped forward to break up what Nagi and Espada were doing. She didn't know why but seeing Nagi kissing someone, especially a student younger than him, made her angry to the point of wanting to strangle him to death. It infuriated her to an unimaginable degree!

Before Minori could however, Takeshi put his hand on her shoulder to calm the raging principal down as she directed a fierce glare towards him. "Why are you stopping me!?"

"Nagi wouldn't do this for a reason, let's see how this plays out"

"But..!" Minori quelled her anger as she watched the kiss go on for a few more seconds, her teeth grinding as the torment of watching them kiss plagued her mind. No matter what excuse they were going to give her for this, she wouldn't let them off!

In Takeshi's mind however, he was thoroughly enjoying what he was seeing as he flashed an amused grin towards the duo. It wasn't everyday you saw something like this and he wanted to see where it would lead, though he didn't voice this as Minori would surely kill him for it.

The pactio had finished being completed and Chloe waved her hand into the air. "The contract is complete!"

The tetragram then began to condense and swirl around Nagi and Espada who had finished kissing, their lips parting and a trail of saliva hanging from their tongues. Minori caught wind of it and her eyes flashed intensely as she came to realize that they had dared to French kiss right in front of her! That was the last straw; she was going to kill Nagi!

Nagi smiled in a charming manner as he saw the black spots that were previously invading Espada's body clear up. "It seems to have worked..." He then frowned a bit as he flicked Espada's forehead "...You sly brat, who told you to use your tongue?"

Espada feigned ignorance as she held her forehead in a confused manner, secretly doing cart wheels in her head at being able to steal such a delicious kiss from Nagi before her attention drifted elsewhere. Floating in the middle of the air right above the two of them was a white card with what seemed to be weird letters and drawings on it. Just what exactly was that?

Gradually, the light began to disperse and the circle that had been drawn by Chloe faded away into nothingness, signifying that the contract between Nagi and Espada had been completed. With her objective completed, Chloe bid farewell to her summoner. "See ya later boss, call me again anytime"

Nagi nodded towards Chloe. "Thanks alot Chloe, I owe you one"

Chloe snorted before smirking. "Damn right you do"

Poof!

Chloe's small and petite body vanished into thin air and the scroll on the ground folded itself back up with a new seal. Aside from Nagi, all of the inhabitants of the room were puzzled, confused, and flabbergasted at what just happened and turned to Nagi for an explanation. The first to speak up was Takeshi as he let go of Minori's shoulder and strode forward. "Nagi, I think you owe us one hell of an explanation"

Nagi just seemed to now notice that Minori and Takeshi had entered the room and looked surprised. "Old man? What are you guys doing here?"

"That's our question!" Minori shouted as she placed both of her hands on her hips and tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. "You better start talking Nagi!"

Nagi frowned and he raised his eyebrow. What was she so pissed off about?

"Ahem..."

A cough could be heard coming from below Nagi as he turned his head to the blushing Espada who he was still holding in his arms but somehow, his hand had fallen down her body and had landed on her right breast as he squeezed harder than intended.

"Whoops, sorry about that" He let go immediately and stood up, grinning in an apologetic manner. He would be lying if he said that it didn't feel good but no one needed to know that.

Espada stood up as well as her face was flushed red and she fidgeted shyly. "N-No problem, I... rather enjoyed it"

Everyone except Nagi had noticed Espada's change in attitude as they never could recall her ever acting in such an embarrassed manner before. Since was Espada the type of person to act shy in front of a man?

Nagi shrugged his shoulders and decided to ignore it. "Anyway" he began as he put a hand on his chin and scanned Espada's idle figure. "How does your body feel?"

"Huh? Well..." Espada checked her body from every angle, trying to see if anything was a mess. She could no longer feel the agonizing pain from before and found it unbelievable that she was even still alive. More than alive, her body felt better than before as she could sense that she was much stronger physically. Not just in strength, her looks seemed to be enhanced as well and her complexion looked much more elegant and dazzling than before. How was that even possible?

"Somehow...I feel stronger... what exactly did you do to me?" she asked Nagi who was content with the results and then grabbed the floating white card in the air.

"I established a provisional contract between the two of us and in doing so, you have been now been reborn as one of my Minster Magi's"

"Minister... Magi? I'm not sure I follow..." That term was completely alien to not only Espada but also everyone in the room as they relied on Nagi's knowledge regarding the matter.

Nagi sighed, not really in the mood for long winded explanations. "I'll explain it to everyone in a second but first" he then turned to Aki "Could you give her a diagnostic one more time?"

"Eh? A-Ah, sure" Aki was a bit dazed from what just happened but she got over it quick enough and walked over towards the idle Espada that was still checking out her improved body. Aki narrowed her eyes as she got closer, widening them in surprise when saw that Espada's voluptuous body had somehow become even more pronounced and that her skin and features looked softer and more delicate.

Aki casted her Maken [ **Valhem** ] and began the diagnostic on Espada's body. She immediately searched around the same spot as the black necklace from before and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no symptoms of any remaining poison. Whatever Nagi had did, it seemed to have worked.

"She's all clear, nothing out of the ordinary. Rather, she looks much better than she did before. Just what did you do to her, Nagi-san?"

"That's we'd like to know as well!" Minori was still waiting for her answer as she glared at Nagi who didn't mind her gaze at all and shrugged, taking a seat by the window.

"I merely created a contract where I could directly transfer a portion of my magic into Espada's body and cleanse it. This is called a pactio contract where a magician can select an individual to become their servant and partner to battle with them, granting the warrior extraordinary power in the process"

"Magician?" Espada repeated as she didn't understand half of what Nagi had just said. Wasn't he an ability user that used Maken's? What was this talk about magic and contracts that sounded like it came right out of a fantasy novel?

"Wait, but why did you make a contract with Espada?" Takeshi asked out of confusion.

Nagi pointed to the broken remains of the necklace he crushed earlier. "That necklace around her neck was filled with poison that almost killed her. Whoever put that choker on must have tried to kill blondie over here to keep her from leaking information. It was only thanks to the contract I made that she's even still breathing"

Takeshi and Minori both flashed with both shock and anger as they heard that. Kamigari was really willing to go so far to keep their secrets? It was beyond despicable, it was inhumane!

"So Nagi-san, you made the contract with Espada-san to save her life?" Aki asked.

Nagi nodded. "Bingo. Contracts are more than just ways to gain strength; their powers also allow whoever receives one to essentially cleanse their bodies of any ill status and be reborn as a human with magic capabilities. You should feel honoured" He then pointed to himself as he flashed a smirk brimming with confidence "Not everyone gets the chance to make a contract with a mage as awesome as yours truly"

"Incredible..." Aki sighed in amazement as she didn't believe such a convenient method existed. There was no other proof that she needed to confirm that Nagi was of another world and was clearly an amazing person on the other side.

Minori scratched her head, her rage gradually subsiding as she looked between Nagi and Espada. "I don't know all the details of what happened but I'm grateful that you saved one of my former students... however..." She then clenched her fist and glared at him with a tint of red cheeks. "Did you really have to k-kiss her for that!?"

"Hah? Well of course not, there are other ways to establish a contract besides kissing. I only did it because it was the first method to pop into my head. Why does it matter?"

"Why!? Did you ever stop to think that the one you're kissing might not be comfortable with it!?" Truthfully, that was an excuse Minori thought of to justify why she was getting so angry at Nagi. She was afraid they would misunderstand and think that she was jealous. She wasn't jealous! She couldn't be!

Nagi raised his eyebrow, then turned to Espada who noticed his gaze. "Did you have a problem with kissing me?"

Espada shook her head immediately to deny the ridiculous notion. "O-Of course not! If anything, I should be the one who is thankful!"

Nagi snorted in amusement, facing back to Minori. "See? Why are you so mad anyway?" A sly grin then appeared on his face. "What, did you want me to kiss _you_ instead of her?"

"Wha...!?" Minori felt her face go beat red from embarrassment as she growled at Nagi. "As if! D-Don't get too full of yourself!" She huffed and turned away, crossing her arms in the process as Aki and Takeshi giggled at Minori's behaviour. They never believed there would come a day where they got to see Minori acting like this. It was priceless.

Snickering, Nagi then turned to Espada and motioned with his hand for her to step forward. Seeing no reason to object, she did as she was told and walked closer to Nagi, stopping short when Nagi held the white card from earlier in front of her.

"Take it; this is your pactio card"

"Eh? My... pactio card?" Espada repeated in disbelief as she eyed the card standing before her. For some strange reason, Espada saw herself on the cover of the card and was dressed in a revealing silver scale armor bikini that showed off Espada' amazing curves and figure as she was also wielding two matching rapiers in both of her hands. When looking at it for the first time, most people would identify Espada as if she was cosplaying as a female gladiator. Aside from that, there were strange symbols all over the card that Espada couldn't understand, except that her name was highlighted in the center and underneath it read "Predona Alata"

"Yes, as you are now a Minister Magi that serves me, this belongs to you. Your artifact is inside and all you have to do to summon it is say the word 'Adeat'" Nagi grinned as he placed it in her delicate hand. "Give it a try"

" _Serve? I serve Nagi now? D-Does that mean that I'm now a slave?... What an alluring sounding contract..."_ Espada's thoughts drifted rather dangerously as a lustful glint appeared in her eye but she shook her head and regained her composure, graciously accepting the card from Nagi.

"What's that card supposed to do?" Takeshi asked anxiously as he caught a glimpse of the card being created after the light had vanished earlier. Minori and Aki thought the same thing as they both waited to see what was to come.

"Just wait and see" Nagi brimmed.

After holding the card in her hand and looking at Nagi who gave her a reassuring smile, Espada nodded her head and decided to trust in the man who saved her life. "Adeat!"

Once she spoke those words, Espada's entire body was wrapped in a veil of light and in an instant; she had undergone a complete wardrobe change as the onlookers all had their mouths hanging wide open. Espada was donned the scale bikini that the picture on the card was wearing and was now also wielding the twin rapiers as well.

"Oooh!" Takeshi exclaimed with excitement as he studied Espada from top to bottom, thanking Nagi for gifting the blonde bombshell with such a sexy outfit.

"Is this some sort of cosplay?" Minori frowned as she didn't understand what was so special about this change in attire while Aki was clapping in the corner, clearly impressed by what just happened.

"Just... what is this?" Espada was stunned as she held her swords and felt completely different than before. In this new armour that she was wearing, her body felt as light as a feather and she could feel an unfamiliar surge of power coming from her weapons. Was this what Nagi described as magic? It was nowhere near the same feeling as controlling elements, the effects were much greater!

Nagi smiled, satisfied at Espada's transformation "Not bad. Those swords your wielding are known as artifacts that carry with them your ability to use magic. Now you no longer need to use a Maken and can rely on that pactio to transform and boost your strength"

"Are you saying these artifacts are even more powerful than Maken's?" Takeshi questioned.

"I can't say that for sure since I haven't seen every Maken in this world but since I'm the one who made the contract with her, that artifact she's wielding should be more than enough to handle anything that comes her way"

The power of an artifact depended on two key things; the magical strength of the Magister Magi and the willpower of the Minister Magi. Put shortly, if a Magister's magic energy is exceptional and the Minister's willpower is extraordinary, the artifact created will be nothing short of incredible. This was especially the case for someone of Nagi's limitless strength as his companions who formed contracts with him could attest too.

"To remove the artifact and recall your card, just say Abeat"

"...Abeat"

Following her command, Espada's outfit changed once again and she returned to wearing to Tenbi girl's uniform. The white card then floated downwards and Espada held it within her hand, still not believing just how wonderful of a gift she had just received.

"Man, that thing is sweet! You've gotta tell me more about these artifacts Nagi!" Takeshi proclaimed as he walked up to the red haired youth and threw his arm around his shoulder.

"Why? It's not like I'll be making a contract with you so there's no need for you to know"

"Aw come on, don't be like that. You never know, I might be interested in them"

Nagi scrunched his face in a displeased manner. "It'll be a cold day in hell before I make a contract with you, old man"

As the two continued to bicker over the matter, Espada was staring at the card in her hand for quite some time and had a stunned expression. She was thrown away by Kamigari after being captured and left to die in such a pitiful manner but was saved by Nagi and given a powerful weapon to replace her confiscated Maken. She mentioned earlier that she would fight with Tenbi against Kamigari if she was saved but she never actually believed it would happen.

"Espada, I want to know one thing"

Minori's clear voice cut into Espada's thoughts as the latter turned around and faced the former with a stiffened expression.

"Are you now on our side or are you planning to return to Kamigari? Is the brainwashing that Otohime put you under still lingering? Say it now so I'll know if I can consider you an ally or a foe"

The room went dead silent after Minori's blatant threat as everyone looked at Espada, awaiting her answer. Even though they were relieved she had survived the poison, that didn't mean everything was normal again as the brainwashing cast on her by Otohime could still be in effect. They needed to confirm what side she was on first!

Nagi however, didn't see what everyone was making a fuss about as he walked over and placed his hand on Espada's beautiful blonde hair, rubbing it gently as the woman herself stared at him with an innocent and flustered gaze.

"You don't have to worry; she's on our side now. I'm not sure what kind of brainwashing she was put under but after making a contract with me, my magic should negate the effects of it. After all, she _is_ my servant now" He then gave Espada a charming smile. "Right?"

Espada didn't have to think twice on her response as she nodded her head in agreement and stared Minori in the face.

"I am no longer bound to follow Kamigari anymore. I owe my life to this man and from now on, I shall fight on your side as long as I draw breath. This, I swear!"

Her declaration caused relieved smiles too appear on Aki and Takeshi's faces but Minori wasn't completely buying it as she crossed her arms and growled.

"I'll be watching you but if Nagi says that your on our side again, I have no complaints. Wait a minute, what do you mean by servant? Nagi, what is she talking about?"

Nagi blinked in an innocent manner. "Huh? That contract I made signifies that I'm now her master and that now we share a close bond. What's the problem?"

"C-Close bond!?" Minori repeated in a disbelieving tone.

"Ooh! Nice work Nagi! You've got a sexy beauty as your servant now!" Takeshi gave him a thumbs up in approval.

"Oh my..." Aki blushed faintly as she was surprised to hear that Espada had become Nagi's servant and slave at the same time.

Espada herself wasn't bothered by this piece of news and even got down on one knee in front of Nagi, startling the older man. "I am now at your disposal. It's only thanks to you master that I'm even alive at this very moment so please, use me as you see fit..." Espada's voice trailed off as her body began to heat up just thinking about the inappropriate orders that Nagi could ask her to do and she began to slowly pant as if she was a dog.

Creeped out and confused by Espada's strange behavior, Nagi slightly backed up. "U-Uh yea, I'm looking forward to working with you... and why are you trembling like that?"

"N-No reason..."

Her trembling didn't stop and Nagi began to wonder if he had make a grave mistake in making a contract with this dangerous woman. It seemed things were going to become even more troublesome than before, but at least Nagi had confirmed one thing by saving Espada's life.

Even though Nagi no longer possessed the pactio's of his former companions anymore after coming to this world, he could create new ones and he had a strange feeling that in order to return home, he was going to need the power of the pactio's.

* * *

Meanwhile back at Kamigari headquarters, Otohime and her squad of third years had been dealt a crushing blow after losing both Espada and one of the original eight Maken. It was bad enough that they had been forced to kill Espada after she was captured but the fact that they lost one of the original eight was a hard pill to swallow for the higher ups and they began devising a counter strategy.

Otohime was furious as she walked to the central laboratory where Yamato Takeru's body was being held that was also supervised by Miyabi. She was in a foul mood and the only thing right now that could ease her mind was knowing that her beloved master would arise once again.

The only question was when. Losing Espada and [ **Furuno** ] was a major setback to their offensive power as it was unquestionable that Espada was the most powerful of the four third years. The second challenge that was supposed to take place tomorrow wasn't in Otohime's thoughts at all as to her, it was merely a distraction until Yamato Takeru's resurrection.

That being said, the most prominent factor that she couldn't have expected was for the man she had set her sights on to be so powerful. Just listening to Hoshii and Kajiru speak of his power earlier made her body shiver with anxiousness as she desperately wanted to capture him for herself. Enemy or not, Otohime was fond of powerful entities and she couldn't deny the thumping in her chest at the thought of Nagi becoming her lover. She shook her head to clear her mind, not wanting to be distracted before she reached the central lab. There would be time later for fantasying.

Otohime arrived at the door to the central laboratory moments later, opening it and stepping through to come face to face with the large green tube that held her master's divine body. She leaked a sigh of admiration at seeing his naked body before coughing and turning to Miyabi, who was holding a clipboard and analyzing the data.

"I see you're still as diligent as ever"

Miyabi raised her head and darted her eyes to the side to see the princess of the Yamato Family, Otohime Yamato walking towards her with a smile on her delicate face. Miyabi straightened her back and looked attentive, not wanting to show any form of discourtesy towards her.

"Otohime-sama, I did not expect you to come at this time. My apologies for not welcoming you"

"Enough with the small talk. How is the progress on Takeru-sama's resurrection?"

Miyabi was a bit taken back by Otohime's less than friendly response and she wondered if something was bothering her before shrugging and looked at the clipboard.

"As you can see, everything is going smoothly. Takeru-sama's body is slowly beginning to heal and it won't be long before his eyes awaken again"

Otohime nodded, pleased with the news she had received. After today's disaster regarding Espada and the others, she couldn't handle another disappointing report.

"Excellent. Unfortunately, our enemies have acquired more strength than we anticipated and so we'll need to devise a more potent method in crushing them"

Miyabi was in full agreement as she nodded her head. "My lady, do you have any ideas?"

Otohime gracefully placed her soft finger on her small lips and began thinking. There were numerous methods she had in mind to turn the situation in their favor but with so little information regarding this Nagi character along with Tenbi's alliance with Venus, it was hard to employ just a single one. Like the saying went, it was unwise to place all of your eggs into one basket.

While Otohime and Miyab were still conversing, the sound of a cracking window alerted their attention as they turned their heads to the source of the sound. Both of their eyes went wide in astonishment when they saw Yamato Takeru's tube wall begin to crack and not a moment later, the entire test tube shattered into a million pieces. The flood of water contained inside of the tube began to flood out as several young men and woman wearing lab coats rushed into survey the situation.

"What's going on!?" one of the men asked.

"...Our king is back" Miyabi whispered in a dazed voice as she now stared at the majestic figure of her beloved master standing on the ground naked, drenched in water from head to toe. He took a few steps forward as he looked as if he was in a trance, turning his head slowly to ascertain his surroundings.

Immediately, everyone bowed on one knee to show their respect to their king.

"We have been waiting for your resurrection, Yamato Takeru-sama" Otohime exclaimed with joy in her heart as she never expected him to revive so quickly. This was perfect timing as well now that they lost Espada along with one of the original eight Maken and were dealt a heavy blow offensively. What better offence could they now  
possibly have other than a god himself?

"...Otohime..." His voice was commanding and raspy, clearly showcasing the overwhelming amount of pressure and authority he held in his physique.

Otohime's body tingled when she heard her name being called and her heart was beginning to race. "Yes, my king?"

"...Bring me some meat..."

"Of course!"

Otohime immediately jumped to her feet and snapped her fingers. Not a second later, numerous voluptuous woman wearing silk light robes that barely contained their enormous breasts and showed off their smooth thighs rushed in from one of the doors, carrying with them several trays of food. Everything laid out on the trays was of the highest quality; freshly cut pork, fried chicken, and even seasoned ham. It was a generous array of food that would only be served to those with immense wealth.

The girls stopped in front of their master, nervous beyond belief as they all could feel his dominating presence. They also knew his character well as Yamato Takeru was a man who didn't tolerate disrespect so they were groomed to look stunning so as not to offend him.

Yamato Takeru frowned as the food was displayed in front of him and then shifted his eyes to the girls. Any normal man who caught a glimpse of these curvaceous and model like beauties would be unable to hold their wits but to Yamato Takeru, their looks were only slightly above average.

Well, it wasn't as if that mattered as he had other plans for them when he said he wanted meat.

Yamato stepped forward to one of the girls on the right, who had long purple hair tied in a ponytail and grabbed her arm. Her body flinched as she paled when she believed she had done something wrong, but that soon turned to embarrassment when Yamato pulled her close and kissed her in front of everyone. To say she was surprised would be an understatement as the girl moaned under her breath as Yamato brought her close and moved his free hands all over her slim body. The feeling of her king pleasuring her like this made the girl feel unending pleasure and she almost fainted after Yamato broke the kiss, a trail of saliva leaving his mouth.

Everyone watching presently had tinted cheeks as they didn't expect their king to engage himself so quickly but Otohime expected this the moment he had ordered her to bring him meat.

The rest of the girls were all fawning over Yamato, their eyes showing supreme jealousy towards the purple haired beauty who looked as if she was on cloud nine. They all wanted to be embraced and played with by him as they all dropped the trays of food and slowly walked towards him, taking off their robes.

Yamato turned to Miyabi who was also becoming excited but calmed down and faced her king with dignity. "Miyabi, prepare a room for us. Tell everyone that I will be busy regaining my... vitality and I should not be disturbed unless it is for an emergency. Once I am finished, we'll begin our hunt for Himegami and the rest of those fools"

"By your will!"

Miyabi answered immediately; somewhat disappointed that she could not partake in the orgy with her king but relaxed and moved to carry out his orders.

Otohime was beyond thrilled as she watched her king begin to leave, accompanied by the large gathering of lustful woman after him. Once Yamato had finished restoring his strength and was back to full power, there would be no stopping Kamigari in obtaining the key they needed to unlock the seal on top of Amanoharo.

"If his last feast should be taken into account, he'll need at least a week to reach the pinnacle of his new strength. Those fools aren't aware of our king's resurrection and are probably still looking for our hideout" A flash of brilliance shined in Otohime's eyes as an idea popped into her head. "Fufufu, that should work. Though, I'll need a scapegoat..."

Sensing a familiar presence observing the central labratory, Otohime's eyes darted to the side to identity who it was and recognized the signature. In a moment, the signal vanished and Otohime's usual smile was replaced by a menacing smirk as she twirled her umbrella.

"Looks like we have a rat trying to leak out our information. Excellent, she'll be the perfect messenger to those fools that our king has returned and that their days are numbered"

Though she said that, Otohime secretly prayed that when the day Yamato Takeru became king of their world, he would give Nagi to her as her own personal slave and toy.

* * *

The Himekagura Festival's second day!

Even though Team Tenbi had lost against Team Yamato Takeru on the festival's opening day, the atmosphere around the school campus was as lively and cheerful as ever. The students firmly believed that Team Tenbi could turn things around with today's opening event and were anxious to see what kind of competition would be held today. The sun was up and the shops were going strong as there were new booths being set up to attract more customers. With how happy everyone was, the crushing defeat they had suffered yesterday felt as if it never happened in the first place.

The members of the Maken-Ki who were summoned to principal Minori's office, as there was an emergency meeting called, walked through the halls as they passed a corner and were on route to the office. Takeru, Haruko, Usui, Kurigasa, Azuki, Isabella, Himegami, and Inaho were all following behind Minori and Aki who escorted the group and kept them in the dark about what had transpired last night until they arrived.

"Hey Minori, where's Nagi-san and my old man?" Takeru asked as he was at the head of the pack standing next to Haruko and Inaho.

Himegami's ears flinched when she heard that name and she listened attentively to the whereabouts of her natural enemy.

"Hell if I know. The two idiots were gone this morning when I tried to wake them up and I haven't seen them since"

Minori had of course, tried to wake them up in the morning for the meeting but to her surprise, they had disappeared. What made it worse was that Espada had disappeared as well from the female faculty room and she believed that Espada had betrayed them and went back to Kamigari. If that was the case however, why didn't she take her [ **Furuno** ] with her then? Even if that pactio card that Nagi had given her was powerful, it wouldn't make sense to not take such a powerful treasure back to Otohime to pardon her for her mistakes. It just wasn't adding up to Minori who furrowed her brows trying to think of a solution but came out short.

Aki giggled. "You should have seen Minori, she was freaking out when Nagi-san and Takeshi-sensei weren't in their rooms and was really worried"

"No I wasn't!" Minori retorted as her face blushed faintly and she crossed her arms. "As principal of this school, it's my duty to keep an eye on my guests!"

Not buying her rather poor excuse, Aki grinned in a devious manner "Then does that duty involve trying to sneak into the male faculty room last night?"

"A-A-Aki!"

"E-Eh?"

"Oh my!"

"Whoa, seriously!?"

"I never thought the principal was so daring...!"

Takeru and the rest of the group were all shocked to say the least when they heard that piece of news from Aki, who merely giggled even after being threatened by the flustered Minori whose face was as red as a cherry. To Aki, the amount of stress she suffered from Minori during their high school years was being paid back in full by teasing her like this and she wasn't planning to stop anytime soon.

"I-I only snuck into their room last night just to see if they were really sleeping, that was it!"

"..."

No one seemed to believe Minori as they shot her questioning glances and the principal held out her right fist as she glared daggers at them.

"Does anyone have a problem with my story?"

"No ma'm!"

They all responded immediately, fearful of the woman's wrath as Minori wasn't known as the 'Human Volcano' for no reason. Satisfied with their responses, Minori stormed forward in a huff, still faintly blushing and closed in on her office door where she placed her hand on the hinge. The truth of the matter is, the reason she tried to sneak into the boy's room last night was because she wanted to speak with Nagi regarding that pactio contract but couldn't stomach doing so in front of the others. She didn't know why it bothered her so much to see Nagi kissing Espada and she thought the only way to rid herself of that feeling was to speak with the idiot who caused it.

" _I'll talk to him later about it... god why am I acting like this? This has never happened to me before!_ "

Minori's experience with men was... complicated to say the least. She was never popular with them in the romantic sense but she made quite a few drinking buddies during her youth and many men admired and looked up to her for her incredible strength. Unlike Aki, who was pursued romantically by nearly every male that gazed at her, Minori never had that charm despite their cup sizes being nearly identical and was feared by most of the boy's. It's the reason why she never cared about making herself look pretty and wore track suits and no makeup, unless it was a special occasion. No man interested her enough to warrant looking good and she firmly believed until now she would never have a boyfriend and didn't need one.

That is, until she met Nagi not too long ago. Of course, she never dreamed of dating him since he was younger than her and wasn't interested in him like that... probably. For some strange reason however, she couldn't get him out of her head and he was always making her either embarrassed or flustered from his jokes or rude attitude. That night when Nagi carried Minori in her arms and called her by her first name, looking incredibly handsome and dashing as he flew through the air, was fresh in Minori's mind and she felt her cheeks redden.

"Damn it, get out of my head!" Minori began to bang her head against the door, leaving several indents where her head had been planted.

"P-Principal!" All of the other students tried to get her to calm down as Minori's strange behavior was beginning to creep them out. Only Aki and Himegami knew the reason why Minori was acting the way she did and had to hold back a laugh from her dilemma.

After she had calmed down, with a huge bruise on her forehead, Minori gripped the door to her office and opened it, leading them all into her room but stopped abruptly when she saw Takeshi and Nagi sitting on the couch, casually chatting.

"There's no way you did that!" Takeshi exclaimed with disbelief and excitement as he stood on the end of his seat.

Nagi laughed as he crossed his legs while lying back against the couch. "Swear to god man, I once took on an entire legion of wyverns and killed the whole bunch with one move"

"Seriously!?"

"Yup, I'm just that boss"

No one knew what these two were talking about but they seemed to be enjoying each other's company as they traded lighthearted laughs with one another and didn't even notice Minori and the group come in.

"It's Nagi and my old man!" Takeshi stated the obvious.

"Yea it is but what are they talking about?" Inaho pondered as she cocked her head to the side and looked to her classmates for an answer.

Azuki shrugged. "Hell if I know"

"Oi! What the hell are you two doing in my office?" Minori roared as she placed both of her hands on her hips. Here she was worrying about what happened to the two of them and they had barged into her office and made themselves comfortable, the nerve!

Takeshi finally picked up on Minori and the others and sent them a surprised look. "Oh? We seem to have company, when did you guys arrive?"

Aki stepped forward. "Just now sensei, we weren't expecting the two of you to be here before us. Why did you guys wake up so early?"

Nagi shrugged. "We went to sleep early last night and woke up around an hour ago and had nothing to do so we came here to relax. I've gotta say, this place is really comfortable"

"Enough about that! We've got a huge problem, Espada has gone missing and we need to find her!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Espada is right over-

"I have finished brewing the tea, Master"

Everyone's eyes turned to the side immediately at the sound of that familiar and heavenly voice as they saw Love Espada walking in from the kitchen in Minori's office holding a tray with several tea cups. She was wearing the normal Tenbi girls uniform underneath of a white apron and had let down her hair that was usually tied in a ponytail, giving her an even more beautiful charm as Espada's complexion was stunning. Not just Takeru, Usui, and Kai, even several of the girls were attracted to Espada and blushed slightly when they saw her walking in with the tea cups, momentarily forgetting that she was an enemy they had fought against yesterday.

"Espada! What the hell are you doing here!" Himegami was one of the few not taken back by Espada's appearance as she growled towards the blonde, taking a defensive position in front of the group. The others began to follow her lead as they were preparing to unleash their Makens at any given moment.

"Hm?" Espada noticed their hostile gazes and produced an amused smile. "Good morning, would any of you care for a cup of tea?"

"H-Huh? Of course we don't want tea! You better start explaining why you're in this academy or else...!" Azuki threatened as she couldn't even begin to fathom how Espada had ended up making tea in a maid outfit in the principal's office.

"That's a shame, I'm very confident in my brewing skills" Espada ignored Azuki completely as she turned back to Nagi and Takeshi. She placed the tray on the coffee table and offered both Nagi and Takeshi a cup. "I hope that it is to your liking"

Takeshi nodded, gracefully accepting the cup and took a sip, a bright smile showing on his face. "Wonderful! Your tea brewing skills are magnificent Espada-san, I'm really impressed"

"Thank you for the compliment" Espada still wasn't comfortable with receiving such earnest praise and awkwardly thanked Takeshi, turning to Nagi's direction to gauge whether he also enjoyed it. Her heart was beginning to beat faster as she watched him slowly accept the cup and draw it closer his lips.

After downing the cup, Nagi flashed a small smirk as he noticed Espada's anxious expression watching him drink the tea. "The tea is lovely, good job Espa"

"R-Really?" Espada's joy couldn't be contained as she blushed and smiled wonderfully at Nagi's cheerful expression. It was vastly different from the seductive and malicious smile she usually expressed whenever she had found a worthy opponent; it was a smile befitting a woman of peerless beauty and elegance. Pleasing Nagi and making him happy made her more joyful than she thought possible and she didn't even try to hide the fact that her sole purpose now in life was to serve him faithfully.

It was the only thing she could do to repay him for saving her.

Watching this scene between the three of them, the rest of the group were at a loss of words and needed a proper explanation for what was going on here. They all turned their blank expressions towards Minori who felt their anxious gazes and heaved a heavy sigh, pinching her nose in exasperation as she prepared to tell them the news.

"Well you see, alot of stuff happened yesterday and because of that, Espada is on our side now and works for Nagi... okay?"

"...Hah?" They all deadpanned immediately, causing Aki to sigh at Minori's simple explanation and step forward to handle the situation.

"You all should take a seat; I'll tell you what really happened"

* * *

Aki proceeded to explain all of the events that had transpired from the moment Nagi had arrived into their world up until yesterday's battle with Venus and Otohime's squad to the students. Takeshi also chimed in several times to fill in parts of the story that the others weren't there for. As the group all listened to the explanation, most of them had their mouths hanging wide open either in disbelief of shock, leading to Himegami standing up from her seat and taking a deep breath to absorb the roll coaster of a story she just heard.

"Okay, let me get this straight. You're telling us that Nagi over there is supposed to be some sort of super famous wizard that somehow ended up being transported to our world because of some black hole? Afterwards, he met Takeru's old man and came to Tenbi Academy where he fought against the principal and made an agreement to fight against Yamato Takeru. Following that, he met all of us one way or another which led to Otohime sending Espada and the other third years to capture him, but in the end Espada ended up captured instead. She was then poisoned but ended up being saved by Nagi thanks to some sort of magical contract and has now become his servant. Did I miss anything or is that all?"

There were no inconsistencies in Himegami's recap of the story, causing Nagi, Takeshi, Minori, and Aki to all nod their heads. "That's right"

"Who would believe that bullshit story!?" Takeru and the rest of the group retorted. How gullible did they think they were that they'd actually fall for such a outrageous story? Aside from Isabella and Himegami, everyone else weren't buying it and firmly believed Nagi and the others were playing a trick on them.

Takeshi frowned. "Son, does it look like we're kidding? All the evidence you need is standing right in front of you, is it really that unbelievable?"

"Huh?" Takeru looked around the room as he saw the serious expressions on every adult's face in the room, even Aki who was usually wearing a beautiful smile. Wait, where they serious?

"B-But Takeshi-ojisan, a story like that..." Haruko didn't know who to believe as her common sense told her it was a lie but the fact that Espada was standing in the room with them as she was clearly on their side proved otherwise. And was it just her or had she gotten taller and more curvy?

Nagi sighed as he ruffled his crimson hair. "Man, this is why explaining stuff is so annoying. Alright kids, what do we have to do to show you that we're not yanking your chain? You must want proof right?"

Takeru and the others looked at each other and nodded, content with that. Himegami stepped up now and directed a fierce gaze towards Nagi. "Show us the proof of the contract you claimed to have made yesterday. If we can see that, we'll believe you""

"No problem" Nagi saw no complaints with that as he lifted his hand into the air, a faint white glow gathering in his palm as everyone was memorized by the sight. The white light dimmed and then took the form of a white card that Nagi held in his hand, with Espada's picture on the front and Nagi's name inscribed on the bottom. "Will this be enough?"

Himegami was fascinated by the sight as she drew closer to Nagi, eyeing the card to see if it was actually real. Once she saw it, her eyes widened and she definitely could tell that Nagi's claim of establishing a contract with Espada was indeed true.

"T-This is a pactio card...?" Himegami asked.

Nagi nodded. "Yup, they come in pairs for both the person who made the contract and the one who recieved it. This is just a copy though, Espada has the original as it belongs to her" He then stole a glance towards the standing Espada. "Show them"

"Of course"

Espada reached into her buxom and pulled out the same white card as Nagi, showing it to her former juniors who each had fascinated gazes towards it.

"A-And if she says the magic word, s-she can transform? Is that really true?" Takeru was the one to ask this time as the idea of seeing Espada in such a sexy outfit made him weak to his knees.

Minori spoke before Espada or Nagi could get a chance too. "That's right, we all saw it for ourselves yesterday. It's a genuine pactio card so you don't have to check for yourselves"

Usui and Takeru slumped as the chance of seeing Espada in the outfit vanished. Some things just weren't meant to be.

"Still... I just can't believe it... to think Nagi was some sort of famous magician that came from another world..."

Everyone's opinions of Nagi were already high to speak of just based on their short interactions with him. However, this piece of news seemed to elevate their view of him even more as they became aware of just how important he was.

"Wait! I-I have a question!" Isabella voiced out, causing everyone to glance at her. "Nagi-san, y-you mentioned that in order for the pactio contract to work and to save her life, y-you needed to k-kiss Espada-san. I-Is that really true?"

"Ah! That's right, you did mention that!" Takeru and Usui both exclaimed as they recalled that someone mentioned the two of them had kissed to activate the pactio.

"Hm? Yea, we did. It's not that big of a deal sheesh, what are you guys, five?" Nagi off handily stated in a manner of fact sort of way, not fazed in the slightest of kissing one of the top beauties of Tenbi. Espada herself had flushed a scarlet red as she looked downwards, slightly embarrassed at all of the stares coming her way.

"It's not fair...! We also want to do it!" The boys were complaining as they two envied Nagi even more, but that was quickly rectified as Haruko and Himegami disciplined them and left them charred and bruised on the ground.

Isabella did not voice her thoughts but she was extremely jealous of Espada who had been able to obtain a kiss from Nagi, something that Isabella could never have dreamed happening to her. The image of them kissing seemed to drive her mad with envy but she controlled her emotions and took a deep breath. She resolved herself to slowly build her relationship with Nagi and someday as well, she would get her chance to kiss him as well... if she could stop madly blushing at the thought.

"Anyway, shall we get back on track? What I want to know is, just what exactly caused Nagi to arrive in our world? And why did he land around that specific area? Is that really just a coincidence?" Himegami questioned with a suspicious glare. Now that she knew the origins of where Nagi had come from, it made complete sense to her how he was as strong as he was and why he had no trace of element on him. He wasn't even a being that should have existed in this world!

Nagi yawned as he stretched his back. "If you've got any theories shrimp, I'd love to hear em because I have no clue on why I was brought here"

"Don't call Himegami-senpai a shrimp! She's a goddess who's beauty transcends common sense! She's too good to fall in love with a playboy like you!" Usui barked rather loudly as he was now standing with a prideful expression.

"U-Usui, what the hell are you saying you dumbass!" Himegami was flustered as she couldn't believe Usui just said what he had. Her fall in love with Nagi? Preposterous! It just couldn't be true, it couldn't!

"Huh? Isn't that obvious? I'm protecting you from this pretty boy player that will no doubt break the hearts of many girls in this school! This scumbag!" Usui's jealously and envy couldn't be contained as once he had heard that Nagi had kissed Espada, his anger had soared to new heights. If Nagi wasn't stopped, even Himegami could possibly fall for him and he would rather jump in a molten volcano than let that happen.

"Nagi-san isn't like that all! You take that back!" Isabella shouted in retaliation, unable to keep her emotions in check at someone slandering Nagi. She knew that Nagi wasn't one of those type of guys that had their way with girls and would throw them away the moment they got bored. Even if she was still resentful towards Espada for kissing him, someone slandering Nagi in front of her was unacceptable and took priority over her grudge.

Espada was of the same opinion as she tied her long hair into a ponytail with a hair tie and directed a fierce glare towards Usui. "I will not allow anyone to say such things to my master, is that understood?"

Under the powerful gazes of both Isabella and Espada, Usui shrank like a cockroach as he looked around the room for support but saw no one coming to his aid. In fact, everyone was displaying annoyed reactions towards him and didn't appreciate his unnecessary remarks towards Nagi.

"I... I didn't mean... that is to say... I'm sorry!" Usui bowed sincerely towards Nagi who looked puzzled by the action but then exploded into a burst of laughter, confusing the residents of the room.

"Hahaha, don't worry about it. I like your spunk kid; you really must love the shrimp alot to be that protective of her"

"Yes! I love her with all of my heart!" Usui immediately responded.

"Usui..." Himegami faintly blushed at hearing Usui's heartfelt feelings towards her and sighed, wondering just how she ended up attracting such a man. "You big dummy"

Nagi nodded. "Good, a man should always say what he wants without hesitation. As long as you have that, you'll be fine. As for you two" He then turned to both Isabella and Espada who flinched at his unexpected gaze. "Try to relax a bit more, I don't need you two flying off the handle like that all the time. Alright?"

"I-I'm sorry Nagi-san, I'll be careful from now on" Isabella bowed.

"Please forgive me Master! To think that I would offend you like this, please bestow punishment to me for this mistake!" Espada's reaction towards the scolding was unexpected as she got down on all floors and presented herself in front of Nagi, unaware of the spectacular view she was giving the boys as her skirt was uplifted and revealed her erotic undergarments.

Nagi had a blank expression as she wondered what was seriously wrong with the girl in front of him. "You don't have to go that far, I'm not even mad I just-

"No! I am your servant so my actions reflect you, I cannot be forgiven so easily!" Espada was practically begging as she raised her head and an lustful and perverted expression was plastered all over her face. Her cheeks were red, her wet tongue was now visible, and she was panting heavily like a dog in heat, waiting for her master to "punish" her.

Everyone in the room was at flabbergasted to see a woman of Espada's grace and elegance now on the floor, completely submissive towards a man. Was this some sort of after effect of the contract? No, that couldn't be right. This was Espada's true nature that she had been hiding from the public. That said, they knew of Espada's status as a sexual predator but this wasn't something anyone could have predicted and they all turned awkward glances towards Nagi, awaiting his decision.

Nagi sighed, now accustom to Espada's antics and stood up from the couch, walking towards Espada and sat on her butt as he crossed his legs. "This is your punishment then, you are now my chair. Is that understood?"

"Y-Yes!" Espada voiced out in an delighted manner, her breathing becoming rigid as she could feel Nagi's body pressed against her butt and she moaned in a seductive manner, freaking out the girls and attracting the boys at the same time.

Nagi shuddered as he couldn't take it anymore and swiftly got up. "Okay time's up" he went back to his original seat, with Espada slumping to the ground in disappointment that her "punishment" had come to an end.

"H-How shameless..." Isabella was quietly muttering as she watched the exchange between the two and yet for some reason, she wanted to switch places with Espada if it meant getting closer to Nagi in that sort of way. Her heart fluttered at the thought of his body and her own pressed against each other and she shook her head to rid herself of the indecent thoughts. She was a Garret for crying out loud, she needed to have discipline!

Minori coughed in an awkward manner to get the topic back on track. "A-Anyway, now I take it no one has complaints about Espada joining us or Nagi's origins?"

Surveying the room, Minori didn't see a hear or see a single complaint and nodded her head. "Good, then we can now prepare for our counter attack against Yamato Takeru"

"But how? Weren't we still trying to find out their location?" Takeru questioned as he coked is head to the side.

Minori looked at Takeru as if he was an idiot. "Well duh, and just who do you think here knows exactly where that is?"

Takeru took a minute to think about it before a light bulb popped into his head and he directed a gaze towards Nagi. "It must be you-

"Try again dumbass!" Minori smacked Takeru upside the head for his idiotic response and pointed towards Espada. "It's her!"

"Oh..." Takeru rubbed his aching head in embarrassment at how he had forgotten that.

"Will she really tell us the location? How can we trust that she wouldn't be leading us into a trap?" Azuki questioned with a suspicious glare, obviously still not happy about working alongside Espada.

Espada huffed as she had gotten back to her feet and stood next to Nagi with a proud expression. "My allegiance towards Kamigari ended the moment they abandoned me. I have no reason to lie or hide any information from you, but that doesn't mean I'm doing this for any of you" She met Azuki's glare with one of her own "I'm only assisting you all in fighting against my former side out of loyalty to my master. Don't forget that"

"Grr, why you...!" Azuki snarled.

"Now now just calm down, there's no need for you two to get so worked up about-

"Hey let me go! I've got business with that Nagi guy, let me talk to him!"

A loud and abrasive voice could be heard coming from outside as everyone turned to the door as it began to open and from it, Yan Min alongside Akaya walked in while restraining none other than Hoshii Kawase.

"H-Hoshii-dono!?" Espada exclaimed in shock as she didn't expect to meet her former companion here.

"Espada! You're really alive!" Hoshii was elated beyond words as she held onto some hope that her friend had somehow survived. However, the touching reunion had to be cut short as Hoshii shook her head and shouted with all of her might.

"Listen to me! Y-Yamato Takeru has been revived! He's returned!"

* * *

 **A/N: Yikes, that's not good is it? Yamato Takeru has finally awoken from his long slumber and he's ready to jump back into the saddle... literally. How will Nagi and the gang prepare to stop him?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: A New Destination**

* * *

Hoshi's declaration of Yamato Takeru's resurrection shocked all of the inhabitants currently within Minori's office as the room went silent out of pure astonishment towards the panting young girl. Aside from Nagi, everyone else had difficulty swallowing the worst possible news and prayed that Hoshii was joking.

"Hoshi-dono... are you certain of that? Yamato Takeru-sama... I mean, Yamato Takeru has finally awoken?" Espada questioned, quickly correcting her usual habit of addressing her former master with such respect and reverence. With the brain washing completely gone from her system, Espada no longer needed to feel that way anymore towards him and now only spoke with such respect towards her new master.

Hoshii slowly nodded as she looked at the ground with a pained expression "...It's true. This morning, we were spying on Otohime and Miyabi for awhile before we saw him break out from that tube he was in... and I've gotta tell you... it still gives me goose bumps just remembering that toxic aura around him". Hoshii's body began to slightly tremble as her memory of seeing just how much of a monster Yamato Takeru was still plagued her body, enough so that she would bet her entire life savings that no one could defeat him.

Azuki huffed at Hoshii's dazed stature and crossed her arms, refusing to accept the words of an enemy. "Why should we trust you? For all we know you could have been sent here by Kamigari to lure us into a trap. First Espada somehow gets captured and now you're here telling us Yamato Takeru is revived? I can't be the only one who thinks this is too weird to be a coincidence!"

Minori analyzed Azuki's spiteful glare towards Hoshii and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Though Azuki made some good points regarding the unlikely timing of such events happening in succession, it was clear as day that Azuki's personal grudge towards Espada and Hoshii were driving her emotions. Even if she was right, should they dismiss Hoshii's warnings immediately?

"I'm in agreement with Azuki-san, we can't trust the enemy!" Kurigasa exclaimed rather loudly, obviously biased in his opinion of supporting the love of his life. Even if Azuki were to claim that the sun was black, he'd probably still agree with her.

The other students were also following the same train of thought and pretty soon, hostile and untrusting gazes were tossed towards Hoshii who flinched at the unwelcome response. No, she had expected this when she had made the decision to come here and resolved herself to at least tell them before her life came to an end. Espada being alive was more than she could have ever hoped for and she had no regrets now even if she died at this very minute, though it would be a pity for the few stocks she forgot to invest in.

"Hoshii-dono..." Espada whispered as she felt pity towards her close friend. Even if they were no longer on the same side, Espada treated and cared for Hoshii dearly and wanted to reach out towards her. However, doing so would possibly lose the small trust that she had obtained from Nagi and the others and she didn't want that. She didn't want that and yet... she still wanted to help her friend as her hands were clenched tightly and she bit her lip so hard that a few drips of blood fell from her mouth. But what could she do or say that wouldn't make the situation worse? What was the answer!?

"Don't you think you guys are being kinda dumb?"

All eyes turned towards Nagi who voiced out his rather blunt assessment of the situation and multiple gasps of confusion sprung from around the room.

Azuki was the first to file a complaint. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you trying to tell us that we should trust them? After everything they did too-

Nagi swiftly raised his hand towards Azuki, stopping her mid sentence as he directed an annoyed glare at her. "You need to calm down first, your letting your emotions do your thinking for you. We get it, you don't like them because they whooped your ass, now let it go"

"Wha...!? B-But..." Azuki was stuttering all over the place and flustered at Nagi's remark, unable to counter him. She may not have noticed before but after what Nagi had just said, Azuki's eyes widened in realization that she was projecting her anger at losing the first match in such an embarrassing way towards Hoshii and Espada. How could she have not noticed that?

Minori was momentarily surprised hearing that from Nagi as she thought she was the only one who picked up on it. She smiled in content, yet again amazed at the mysterious enigma known as Nagi who was as unpredictable as they come.

"In any case, what I was saying before applies to most of you who are doubting the kid over there. What would be the point of trying to trick us now? If that Yamato guy or whatever really is as powerful as you guys claim he is, then do you think he would need tricks or petty plans to stop us?"

Takeshi held his chin and nodded his head "That's a good point; with Yamato Takeru's resurrection, there wouldn't be a need for trying to ambush us since his strength is far too great"

"Still, I don't believe trusting her to easily is a wise course of action" Akaya voiced towards Takeshi and Nagi. Akaya saw reason in both of their statements but still couldn't accept Hoshii or Espada that easily, not unless he had concrete evidence that proved they weren't enemies anymore.

"Haa..." A heavy sigh escaped Nagi's mouth as he ruffled his crimson hair. To him, believing Hoshii's words were as simple as breathing since he could immediately tell by her body language and tone that she was dead serious. Trying to convince these idiots of that was the hard part and he tried to think of a way to do so before his attention was directed to the black collar around Hoshii's neck. "Hey kid, is that collar around your neck the same one that Espa here was wearing?" He pointed to the startled Espada who was standing a few feet away from him.

"Huh?" Hoshii blinked a few times before her eyes fell downwards the collar and then slowly nodded. "Yea it's the same one... wait, what happened to the one around Espada's neck!?" She hadn't even noticed it was gone until Nagi had pointed it out.

"I destroyed it myself, I thought it'd stop the poison but it had already spread throughout her body by then" Nagi replied in a carefree manner, unaware of the look of shock on Hoshii's face.

"B-But that's impossible! These collars were created with materials that nullify all forms of element and are as dense as diamond! How did you break it?"

"Hah? I just did, it wasn't even that hard. What are you getting so worked up about?"

"..."

In the face of such arrogance and confidence, Hoshii was stunned beyond words and recalled the tremendous pressure she felt yesterday after Nagi had escaped Minerva's dimensional barrier. When she thought about it, only someone whose power was that terrifying could destroy the collar and she accepted that Nagi was indeed a monster in his own way.

"Hoshii-dono, why hasn't Otohime-dono activated the collar's poison if you're telling us this?"

"Ah, that's right!" Aki began as she arose from her seat. "Espada was almost killed because she was captured and Otohime didn't want her to leak information. Why hasn't she done so with Hoshii-san yet?"

It was a fair question that many in the room were waiting on Hoshii's answer for. This was the deciding moment that would determine if they could trust her as she couldn't make excuses for this.

Hoshii shook her head and looked down with a solemn and bitter expression. "There was no need too. You see, on my way here I already encountered Otohime at the entrance who allowed me to pass and said that I was no longer fit to be a soldier of Kamigari and that my services wouldn't be needed as I was now useless"

"..."

Everyone in the room traded mix reactions as they saw the painful look in Hoshii's eyes at practically being told she was a worthless tool to be disposed of. Their suspicious glares were replaced by pitiful glances and their trust in her words began to grow, if ever so slightly as that sort of bitter look wasn't something someone could fabricate.

"What happened to Yumemiya-dono and Kajiru-dono? Are they safe?" Espada asked worriedly that something may have happened to them.

"Yes they're fine. Though Otohime may have disbanded the group, she still has some use for the two of them and they are being carefully watched by the agents of Kamigari. Having said that, all of us have been stripped of our original eight Maken so our strength has been cut down"

Minori scanned Hoshii's face for any signs of deceit and tossed a glance towards Akaya who was still restraining her. He sighed as he nodded his head.

"We searched her but we couldn't find the Maken on her anywhere. Seems she's telling the truth"

"...Damn, those guys are always one step ahead" Minori voiced out in dissatisfaction as her aim of grabbing another one of the original eight had been thwarted.

"So, what's the plan? Now that we know Yamato Takeru is back, shouldn't we be thinking of a way to defeat him?" Takeru asked no one in particular as he looked across the room for a hopeful answer.

Nagi snorted in amusement. "Slow down there tiger, we have a few things to discuss first before we get to that"

Takeru cocked his head to the side. "Things such as what?"

Following his question, Nagi pointed his finger towards Hoshii who flinched on instinct and began to focus a surge of magic into his finger tips. The amount he needed was small but also had to be condensed so that it would be controllable and not accidentally kill the poor girl. Once he had finished, a stream of white lightning was launched from his finger and struck the collar around Hoshii's neck in an instant, breaking it into a million pieces.

Hoshii was shocked by such a swift attack and couldn't even react as she watched the collar disintegrate onto the floor. So Nagi was telling the truth after all, he really could destroy those collars! But what was that attack just now? That couldn't have been an attack composed of element, could it? Or was it a Maken? A never ending list of questions just popped into her head at trying to figure out what Nagi had just done.

"W-What was that all about?" Azuki asked with a hint of fear as she hadn't even saw the attack go through until it had already destroyed the collar.

Nagi lowered his finger and frowned "That collar was becoming an eyesore so I got rid of it"

Espada and Hoshii were both touched by Nagi's actions just now, but Espada was far more thankful as she understood why Nagi had done such a thing. Espada hadn't voiced it but seeing that collar around Hoshii's neck made her want to destroy it herself out of resentment towards Kamigari for subjecting them to wear such a thing but she held her frustration. She didn't know when but Nagi must have picked up on it and did it for her which made her thankful beyond words and her loyalty towards him continued to grow in both gratitude and admiration... with a large sprinkle of lustful attraction.

Aki sighed in relief at what Nagi had just done as she didn't have to worry about another one of her former students losing her life.

"Now we can talk about dealing with those Kamigari guys and this Yamato Takeru" Nagi began as he turned to Hoshii. "Did they mention anything about how long it would be before they launch another attack?"

Hoshii nodded eagerly as her trust and respect for Nagi had been increased with that little exchange just now. "Yea, Yamato Takeru mentioned that he would need at least a week to..." Hoshii slightly blushed when she said her next few words "... devour a lot of energy and get back to full strength"

" _Devour some energy?_ " Nagi frowned as he thought about what Hoshii had just said in a somewhat embarrassed tone. What would be so embarrassing about something like that? Unless it meant that he was currently...

A hardy laugh could be heard coming from Takeshi who immediately figured out what Hoshii was trying to say. "Well I'll be, a man's still a man ain't he? Of course he'll need to recharge his batteries after sleeping for so long"

Nagi whistled. "I've gotta give him credit, an entire week of that isn't something most men could endure"

Minori, Akaya, and Aki, the only remaining adults in the room were puzzled before Nagi and Takeshi's odd remarks until they realized what they were truly getting at and flushed a deep red.

"D-Don't say stuff like that in front of the kids!" Minori shouted towards the two of them, her face dyed red just like her hair. Tenbi Academy didn't have a sex ed class and they sure as hell weren't starting now!

"Principal, what are they...?" Inaho asked innocently as she looked none the wiser, causing Minori to shake her head furiously.

"Nothing! Don't listen to what those idiots are talking about!"

"...Okay?"

Not just Inaho, almost all of them didn't understand what Minori or the other adults were trying to hint at and cocked their heads to the side. The few that did get it such as Espada, Usui, Takeru, and Himegami all remained quiet but had embarrassed expressions on their faces.

"Anyway" Nagi began as he tried to get back on track. "You heard it from her yourself; we've got a week to prepare before the big man himself comes here. In that time, you'll all have to become immensely more powerful if any of you want to participate in the battle"

"Screw that!" Azuki shouted in retaliation. "We've all trained hard over the summer and have fought Kamigari plenty of times! Why should we wait, let's attack him now when he's not at full strength!"

Akaya was in agreement as he nodded. "I believe Azuki-san's course of action would be better. Rather than waiting, we have the opportunity to launch a pre-emptive strike against our strongest adversary, why not take it?"

"Now hold on you too, we don't know for sure that Yamato Takeru is really in such a weakened state that we can truly defeat him. Rushing in there recklessly could prove disastrous" Takeshi was a veteran when it came to tactics and planning so Nagi's idea of training was the most suitable path in his opinion.

"Quit underestimating us old man! I've trained hard, I can do this!" Takeru wasn't going to back down as he wanted to stop Yamato no matter what it took!

After listening to Takeru's proclamation, a condescending laugh could be heard coming from Espada who drew the room's attention. "Those are some pretty big words, Takeru Oyama. Have you forgotten that you were not even a match for me and yet you believe you can fight Yamato Takeru? Is your head that full of arrogance or are you just that much of a fool?"

"What was that!?" Takeru exclaimed in fury as he glared daggers towards the calm and collected Espada who didn't even flinch at his intensity. How could she? Espada was far more powerful than Takeru and everyone knew it.

"She makes a good point" Minori mentioned as she crossed her arms. "I'm the one who fought Yamato Takeru when he was inside Ouken's body and if he's now stronger than he was when I fought him, you're absolutely no match for him Takeru"

"B-But..." Takeru was having a hard time accepting the cruel reality and stuttered.

Takeshi shook his head towards his son and sighed. "Takeru, you have nothing to be ashamed about. No one here except for Nagi could possibly stand up to a monster like him, accept that"

"..."

Takeru sat back down in frustration, hesitating to accept his old man's words as Haruko was sitting down next to him and grabbed his hand with her own.

"Take-chan, you don't have to worry. You just have to get stronger and we'll defeat him together"

"Haru-nee..."

Takeru was touched by Haruko's gesture as the two shared a romantic moment as they looked into each other's eyes before Nagi's voice ruined the moment.

"Oi, I know that you two are in love and everything but we're kind of in a meeting. Save your romance crap for after we deal with this"

"I-I-In L-L-Love!?" Haruko stammered as she flushed deep red and shook her head. "With this pervert!? N-N-No way!"

"Haru-nee?" Takeru knew Haruko was always easily embarrassed by romantic stuff but damn, did she have to put it like that?

Nagi raised his eyebrow as he couldn't understand Haruko's claim. "Wait, so he's not your boyfriend? What's the relationship between these two?" He asked around the room.

"She's in love with him but refuses to admit it" Everyone deadpanned, causing Haruko's face to heat up like a roasted oven and she sat back down and looked towards the ground in utter embarrassment.

"Wow, sounds rough. Well whatever, let's ignore them and get back to business"

"Don't ignore us!" Haruko and Takeru both retorted.

Everyone laughed at their comical antics while Hoshii watched the scene with a baffled look. Even though she had just warned them that their greatest foe was reborn and stronger than ever, they still had the willpower to laugh like this? Were they really that dense or were they just that confident that they could beat him? As she thought so, she immediately paled as she could feel a stinging sensation coming from her head.

"Agh!" A pained voice rang out from Hoshii as she clutched her throbbing head in agony, her usual thoughts of money and wealth being overshadowed by some dark presence.

"What's the matter?" Akaya questioned, on guard of Hoshii's suspicious behaviour.

"Hoshii-dono, what's wrong?" Espada quickly asked as she travelled to her friend's side and held her up.

Hoshii panted slightly and gave Espada a forced smile. "I-I'm sorry Espada, it must be the brainwashing. I was able to fight it off for a bit but it seems I'll succumb back to it and make my way back to Otohime's side..."

"Your brainwashing wasn't erased? I thought you were completely healed..."

Hoshii shook her head. "Impossible, Otohime's methods of brainwashing students is unmatched and she would never allow it to be broken so easily. It took all of my strength to get here and not turn back but I'm afraid I've reached my limit"

Espada didn't know what to do as she didn't want to see her friend return to back to those bastards in Kamigari and desperately turned to Nagi. "Master, please help Hoshii-dono! I know I have no place to ask this as your servant but I don't want her to go back there!" Relying on Nagi was the only thing she could think of as if there was anyone who could stop Otohime's brainwashing, it was him.

Nagi remained silent for a few seconds before he stood up from his seat and walked over towards Hoshii who was being held up by Espada. He reached out and patted her head with his hand, flooding a great deal of magic into her body that began to make her body radiate a faint glow as Espada backed away and all those within the room gasped in amazement. Just what was he doing?

After the light dimmed, Hoshii fell forward and landed against Nagi's torso, with the latter smiling softly as he picked up Hoshii's body and carried her towards a wall, laying her body gently against it.

"W-What did you just do?" Akaya asked in utter bewilderment.

Nagi shrugged as he stood back up. "Nothing much. I just poured some of magic into her body to cleanse her mind and spirit. I figured it out yesterday during the pactio contract that if my magic is placed within the body of anyone of this world, it will have the same effect of them being 'reborn'. Though she can't use magic now like Espada can because of her artifact, none of that brainwashing stuff should still be there"

Akaya blinked in a somewhat dazzed state "...I had no idea you could do such a thing..."

Nagi laughed as he went back to his seat and lay against the couch. "Neither did I, until yesterday"

After she had returned to his side, Espada bowed respectfully towards Nagi to show her appreciation. "You have my utmost thanks, Master"

Nagi waved his hand as if it was no big deal "Don't mention it"

If anyone had any doubts about Nagi's origins before, they sure as hell didn't now as they saw the effect he had on both Espada and Hoshii and were stunned into amazement at his reliable atmosphere.

"So, does anyone still want to charge into Yamato Takeru's headquarters?" Minori asked as she surveyed the room. No one responded to her question and Minori looked pleased by the result. "Good, then we've decided that we'll use this time to prepare for his attack. The biggest question is, what can we accomplish in a week that will give us a fighting chance?"

"Regardless of how much stronger we've all become, fighting against Kamigari now that their leader is back will be a difficult task no matter how you look at it" Himegami stated as she then turned to Nagi with a hardened expression. "Which is where you'll come in, right Nagi? It's time for you to honor your promise and fight with us!"

Nagi's eyes flickered for a second as he furrowed his brows at Himegami's way of pushing all of the responsibility towards him. "Aah? You want me to go out there and fight this nut job for you guys while you all sit back and do nothing?"

Himegami knitted her eyebrows "I never said that"

"Let me make this perfectly clear. I agreed to fight _with_ you guys, not for you guys. I'm the strongest man alive, there's no question of that but I'm not dumb enough to charge in there without at least having a few capable allies... and most of you don't look like you can fill those roles yet"

"Wha...!?"

Nagi's bold proclamation earned several spiteful glares coming from Usui, Azuki, and even Akaya as they couldn't believe how arrogant he was! To call himself the strongest man and then claim none of them could help him fight, it was simply outrageous!

"Now calm down everyone..." Takeshi pleaded, accustom to Nagi's blunt of way of speaking to others. What was it, the tenth time now he had to try and play mediator?

"How can you still protect him sensei!? While I can admit that Nagi is a powerful individual who we should thank for his assistance, to call us not fit to fight with him is crossing the line!" Akaya couldn't stomach his dissatisfaction any longer as he felt he needed to be the one to bring Nagi down a peg.

"I said _most_ of you aren't fit to help me, sparkle boy. I never said all of you so try to relax already"

"Y-You...!" Akaya had never been as insulted as he was now as several angry veins appeared on his forehead.

Minori had to stiffen a laugh at Akaya's new nickname and for once, she actually didn't mind Nagi's blunt way of messing with people... as long as she wasn't the one being made fun of.

"Nagi-san, what did you mean by 'not ready yet'?" Isabella asked with not a single trace of resentment or hostility in her voice. To her, Nagi wasn't someone who would criticize others for no reason and believed he had an explanation for his behavior.

Nagi smiled "It's simple. If none of you are strong enough to defeat Yamato Takeru and Kamigari now, then you just simply have to become stronger to do so under my training"

"Training?" Himegami questioned.

"That's right; a week is plenty of time to boost you guys to a level that'll make those bastards wet their pants. I don't know what kind of training you all did here but considering I beat these two pretty easily" He pointed towards both Takeshi and Minori who looked annoyed at remembering their losses "I say you've got nothing to lose being trained under me"

"T-Training under Nagi..." Several of the students whispered to themselves as they tried to picture what sort of hellish nightmare they were in for. For someone of Nagi's immense strength, the level of training he must have gone through couldn't have been easy... and if that was the case, just what kind of Spartan training were they in for?

"I'll do it!" Azuki shouted spontaneously, alerting everyone's attention as she looked psyched. "I don't care how tough it is, if it'll make me strong enough to fight Kamigari, I'll overcome it!"

"If Azuki-san is going, I'll do it as well!" Kurigasa was inspired as he watched the figure of the woman he loved declare her resolve and he wanted to stand by her side by becoming strong enough to support her.

"Me too!"

"Bring it on!"

"Count me in!"

Soon enough, all of the Maken Ki members had agreed to Nagi's suggestion and were ready to endure whatever training he had to throw at them. To protect Tenbi Academy, it was the only way!

Nagi was pleased by their conviction as he watched the brimming faces of the kids. He then turned to Minori and smiled. "You've got brave kids here"

Minori snorted as she crossed her arms and produced a tender slime. "Idiot... I already know that"

Nagi then turned to Espada. "And what about you? We've entered under a contract and you've become much stronger already because of your pactio, this training isn't necessary for you"

Espada shook her head immediately. "Though I am eternally grateful for what you've done for me, I don't want to just rely on your amazing power. I want to become stronger by myself as well, so I ask that you also allow me participate as well, master"

Nagi didn't see a problem with it and shrugged. "Suit yourself"

"But what about the school competition? Now that we know Otohime has disbanded her group and that Yamato Takeru is back, there's no need for them to participate in it now is there?" Haruko mentioned with a troubled expression.

Takeshi nodded. "They'll most likely not bother showing up anymore since it was merely a distraction to buy time. The problem is that even though we now know we're their headquarters is, we can't make a move out of fear of Yamato Takeru's power"

"That's fine" Nagi stated. "Once I'm through with you guys, we'll show them that giving us a week to prepare was a move that will come back to bite them in the ass"

"...Why do I get the feeling that this training will be far worse than what we imagined..." Himegami spoke with a worried tone.

"Hahaha, don't worry about the small stuff. I'm sure you'll all survive... probably... maybe..."

Everyone shuddered and began to regret choosing to trust in Nagi as that glint of excitement in his eyes was beginning to scare them!

"In any case, the question now is where will we all train? Tenbi is out of the question since we can't trust that they'll keep their word and they might use the weaker students as hostages" Minori would rather lose an arm than let one of her precious students fall victim to that.

"What about the area around my dojo? It's spacious and the perfect spot for good old fashioned training" Takeshi asked with a hopeful look. Having the girls around his dojo would provide good entertainment in various different ways he did not dare speak out loud.

"Forget it old man, we can't use that place. It's not that far from Tenbi so they could still ambush us or even worse" Nagi cut off Takeshi's lifeline in an instant, causing the older man to curse him under his breath.

"I'd like to suggest using that summer island again but after the last incident, the area's been completely sealed off until repairs can be made" Minori still remembered the huge bill that the island inhabitants tried to throw at her because of all the damage they had caused. Looking at all those zeros on the bill nearly made her faint.

"Come on guys think, there's gotta be a place somewhere on this planet one of you knows that is far from Tenbi and has a lot of space for practice" Nagi looked around the room for a hopeful answer but he got nothing in return. Most of them hadn't even stepped outside of Tenbi so it couldn't be helped that their knowledge of the outside world was severely lacking.

Just as all hope seemed lost, Aki slowly raised her hand and looked as if she was reluctant to speak.

"W-Well, I know of a place but..."

Minori's eyebrows rose in confusion as she watched the fidgety Aki. "You do Aki? Well why you didn't say so earlier!? Speak up, where is it?"

"Well it's..."

For some reason, Aki walked over towards Minori and whispered into her ear as Minori nodded her head and listened. Moments later, Minori's face twisted into a grumpy frown as she clicked her tongue and puffed her cheeks. "Damn, so it's that place..."

Nagi asked the obvious question as he, along with everyone else, were completely in the dark. "You mind sharing this magical place with the rest of us?"

Takeshi and Akaya both seemed to come to a realization on their own as they traded a frantic look between Aki and Minori. "Wait, you guys can't possibly mean..."

Minori nodded hesitantly to her sensei. "I'm afraid so. The only place I can think of that we can do our training is at the Nijou Family Resort"

"...Not that place..." Akaya slumped as he didn't even have the energy to perform one of his famous poses anymore.

"...So it's come to this..." Takeshi looked a bit pale as he sat back down and sighed heavily, having no choice but to accept the destination awaiting them.

Nagi was getting annoyed at the lack of a proper explanation and nudged Takeshi with his elbow. "Alright, spill it old man. What exactly is this Nijou Family Resort? Are you guys afraid of going there that much?"

"It's not so much as us being afraid... but rather... it's a place that we don't like to go too unless there's no other choice"

"You're not making any sense..." Nagi couldn't understand what the big deal was about this place as he waited for someone to explain.

Aki stepped forward to resolve the confusion as she stood in front of the large group with a hesitant expression. "The Nijou Family Resort is actually my family's estate that is supported by Tenbi and the government. Currently, mama- I mean, my mother runs the place but..." Aki's eyes narrowed deeply as she frowned. "...There have been issues with the inheritance of the resort between me and my sister"

Everyone went silent. Aki had a sister?

"I had no idea Aki-sensei had a sister..." Usui repeated as he wondered just how hot Aki's sister must have been if she was related to a bombshell like Aki.

"I still don't see why you guys are so reluctant to go there" Nagi stated, waiting for the puncline.

"There's nothing wrong with the resort itself, in fact its probably the perfect place for us to train in such a short amount of time..." Minori's face darkened as she recalled her previous experience going to the resort. "...It's the person _running_ the place that I never want to see again...Aki's sister isn't a problem but her mother is the one who actually owns the resort and I'll tell ya... she's... she's.. I can't even say it..."

Takeshi, Akaya, and Aki's bodies shuddered after Minori was struggling to describe the person they were all thinking of. Everyone in the room traded looks of utter confusion as to what kind of person Aki's mother was and were a bit anxious to meet her.

"She must be one hell of a woman to even make the tomboy scared" Nagi ignored the death glare coming from Minori as he looked at Aki. "Where is this resort?"

"It's located far west of here on a large island that belongs to the government. Before we go though; I'd have to call my mother and let her know..."

Aki reached into her lab coat pocket and brought out her cell phone, dialing a few numbers as everyone patiently watched Aki bring the cell close to her ear. Nagi narrowed his eyes as he watched Aki fidget nervously; was her mother really that bad?

A few moments later, the other end had picked up.

" _Hello~?"_

"Ah! M-Mama, how are you?"

" _Hm? Who is this? That voice... wait, could it be my darling little Aki-Aki is calling her dear sweet mother after so long?"_

"...I'm sorry m-mama, I've been really busy at Tenbi and my job as a doctor..."

" _Oh? So your job is more important to you than your family? Waaaahhh, you make your mother so sad! Why did I raise such a selfish girl as my daughter? Wahhhhh"_

"M-Mama please don't cry! I'm really sorry, I'll definitely call more often! O-Okay, please don't cry!"

" _I was just kidding~ You don't have to call me all the time, I'm pretty busy too ya know? Running a multimillionaire resort isn't easy! My back aches all the time because of these huge breasts! You'll give me a massage when you come visit right?"_

"...Yes..."

"..."

The entire room was quiet as everyone listened to the conversation between Aki and her mother with blank expressions. They didn't understand before but now after hearing that little exchange, they all began to understand why Aki and the others were so hesitant to call this woman and ask for her help. With a mother like that, it was hard not to pity Aki.

" _So? You must have a reason for why you called me other than to drop in to say hello, right? Lemme hear it my sweet daughter~!"_

Aki gulped internally, hesitant on explaining what was going on right now to her eccentric mother but took a deep breath and went through with it. She left out numerous details that weren't necessary to reveal to her mother and mainly spoke about the upcoming battle against Yamato Takeru and how they were in need of a training facility to prepare.

After she had finished explaining, the line went quiet for a minute or so before Aki's mother responded again

" _Oh is that all? It sounds like you're having alot of fun over there~!"_

"..."

Aki felt her head becoming dizzy at listening to her mother's childlike naivety and wondered just how she could see such a desperate situation as "fun".

"So mama, is it alright if I bring my colleagues and students with me?"

" _Of course! When have I ever denied you anything my sweet daughter? Bring as many as you can, especially if they're young hot boys! Kyaaah!"_

"...I'll try..."

Takeshi, Usui, and Kurigasa all felt a sudden chill in their spines as while they couldn't exactly hear what Aki's mother had just said, they had a collective feeling that it wasn't good for them.

" _You should feel grateful my daughter, it would take weeks for even a single person to book a vacation here but I can give you and your friends the best VIP treatment possible all because your my darling daughter. I hope you really appreciate how much your mama loves you"_

"I do mother... I do..." Aki was getting a bad feeling as she waited for her mother to drop the usual "condition" for making such a huge exception.

" _It's a good thing you understand this Aki, so there shouldn't be a problem with me meeting your boyfriend when you come over this time right?"_

"...Eh?"

Aki felt her heart stop.

" _Is there something wrong with that? I want to meet the man my daughter has been dating for several months, what's the big deal? Unless the two of you broke up?_ "

Aki gulped internally, a few beads of sweat falling from her face as she recalled the regretful memory of her telling her mother that she had a boyfriend and they had been dating for a few months. Aki's mother had called in unexpectedly and mentioned that Aki's sister Alexis had recently gotten a boyfriend so per usual, Aki's mother had pressured Aki to have one as well. In the spur of the moment, Aki had blurted out that she had been dating a man already to save face and it worked then but who knew it would come back to bite her in the ass now that she was visiting.

"Y-You want to meet... my boyfriend?" Aki had to repeat those words as she said them very slowly, praying that her mother had been joking or teasing her.

" _That's right! The man that was able to win the affections of my daughter, is it such a crime that I cannot meet such a man? I've already met Alexis' boyfriend and he's quite the charming fellow himself so as my daughter, I can expect great things from your man..."_ Her voice then felt icy cold as Aki felt a sudden chill even whilst on the phone. " _...Right?_ "

"...Yes mother... I'll bring him..." Aki had resigned herself to her fate.

" _Yayyy! I can't wait to meet him! I'll send over several helicopters to bring you and your friends to the island immediately! I'll see you when you get here! Love ya! Oh! Just one last thing, if it turns out you were lying and don't bring someone, I'll cut off your allowance from the family and give the resort to Alexis! Don't disappoint me now!"_

The phone hung up as everyone stared at the motionless Aki who looked as if she had seen a ghost and dropped to her knees, mentally exhausted. Minori walked over to give her dejected friend a hand as she pulled her up and steadied her balance.

"I take it we have a problem?"

Aki hesitantly nodded as she stood on her own two feet and sighed, prepared to inform her friends of the bad news.

"Mama said we could all come but that's only if I bring my boyfriend"

"What! Aki-sensei has a boyfriend!? Who is that lucky son of a bitch!?" Usui and Takeru roared in anger as they looked all around the office. Aki was the property of everyone! No one man could hog such a beauty to himself, it wasn't fair!

"Shut up!" Himegami and Haruko scolded as the former used one of her Shikigami Spirits to fry Usui's frail body while the latter bonked Takeru over the head with her sword, leaving them charred and dazed on the ground while everyone ignored them.

"You idiots, Aki doesn't have a boyfriend" Minori corrected but then paused for a good minute and then stared at Aki in disbelief. "You don't have one right?"

"Of course I don't!" Aki retorted with a faint blush.

"So what's the big deal again?" Nagi questioned.

Takeshi crossed his arms. "The problem comes from the fact that at the moment, the Nijou Resort belongs to Aki's mother, Leila who has been looking for a successor to inherit the family business. Aki's sister Alexis and her husband plan on changing the resort and if they get a hold of it, we won't be able to go there anymore since it will no longer be Nijou family property"

"I-Is that really true?" Himegami asked sceptically as she had no idea that such an internal family struggle had been occurring in Aki's life.

Aki grimly nodded. "Alexis has always wanted to have the resort but mama has been reluctant to give it to her out of sympathy for me. Now that Alexis has a husband who has appealed to mother, if I don't do the same then she'll give Alexis the resort and then that place with all of our memories on it will disappear..."

Minori, Akaya and Takeshi averted their gazes downwards, recalling the fond memories of visiting Resort Island with the original Maken-Ki members. The amount of trouble and fun they had on that island were endless as their youthful days were some of the best memories each of them had.

Losing the resort meant just as much to them as it did to Aki. As the room grew quieter, no one seemed to notice the bizarre look coming from Espada who cleared her throat and spoke her mind.

"Pardon me for saying so but is there a reason why you can't find a suitable man to act as your boyfriend to appease your mother?"

"Huh? Well that's... wait, no that's it!" Aki seemed to come to a revelation as she thought about what Espada had just said. Find someone to play the role as her boyfriend? Of course! Why didn't she think of that!?

"Genuis! Let's do that! Wow, you're already proving to be a great member of the team!" Minori gave Espada a thumbs up while Espada blinked in confusion. Was what she said really worthy of such praise? She stole a glance from Nagi, who had noticed her anxious and curious gaze and smiled charmingly.

"Good job, Espa"

"Y-Yes!" Espada gleefully rejoiced, completely glad that she had said what she did. Isabella noticed Espada's gleeful expression and pouted, a swell of jealously filling her at Espada gaining more attention from Nagi.

"Now that we have a plan, who's going to fill the role as Aki's boyfriend?" Himegami said in a teasing manner as she eyed all of the men currently in the room, rolling her eyes at each of the boys gulping when they looked at the beautiful figure of Aki. It looks like there wouldn't be an shortage of men wanting to fill that position.

"I volunteer myself for the position!" Usui raised his hand immediately.

"No, it should be me!" Takeru countered, elbowing Usui in the process.

"Rejected!" Minori smacked both of them upside the head and placed both of her hands on her hips. "You idiots are both still students!"

"Let's look at it from a different angle then" Himegami mentioned. "What kind of man would appeal to your mother?"

Aki brought her hand to her soft pink lips and frowned, trying to recall her mother's type. "If we're talking about mama... the man I'm dating would have to be young, tall, in good shape, strong, handsome of course, and would need to have a mysterious charm to him"

"As always, Leila's expectations are astronomical..." Minori deadpanned. With those requirements, it would take nothing short of a world class model to appease her.

"But where do we know someone like that?" Azuki stated.

Everyone in the room thought about it for a moment before a light bulb went off in their heads and they all swiftly darted their heads over to Nagi who was munching on a cookie laid on the table.

"What?"

"That's it!" They all collectively screamed in unison, confusing and startling Nagi.

* * *

While Tenbi Academy were discussing plans on visiting the Resort Island, important matters were being discussed by the higher ups of Kamigari who had gained new motivation after their leader and king, Yamato Takeru had returned. When Miyabi had delivered the news, the entire organization had gone into a joyous frenzy and plans on preparing the capture of Himegami were being pressed forward.

Otohime, who had been assigned the mission of completing this task, was currently in a large spacious room where the thousands of experimental clones of Yamato Takeru were being stored. Men and woman from all sizes were seen naked in the tubes, ranging from small little girls and boys to fully grown men and woman.

It had taken decades of intense study and biological conversion to reach this point but unfortunately, most of the clones stored here were failed experiments. In order to recreate a clone of Yamato Takeru that could act as his new vessel, a substantial amount of element was needed to be stored inside their bodies. The average human body can only hold so much element energy before they suffer from an overload and experience negative effects that could even possibly lead to death.

Aside from herself and her now deceased brother Gouken, Otohime was unable to find another clone to act as her king's vessel... until today.

Otohime stared at three specific test tubes that she had been eyeing for quite some time and reviewed the data she had on them. Out of all the test subjects, the three before her were the most consistent in their element ratings and even experienced a miraculous growth in power over the last few days, most likely due to the exposure to Yamato Takeru's presence being close to them after he had awakened.

"These three seem to be the most suitable for the position of my lord's vessel. I believe it is fine to awaken them now to test their capabilities"

Otohime snapped her fingers and not a moment later, several scientists wearing lab coats rushed in at the call of their princess.

"You called, Otohime-sama?" one of the men wearing the lab coat asked with extreme politeness.

Otohime was satisfied with his respectful response and smiled beautifully. "Yes, I'd like you to activate subjects 04, 07, and 010"

The man nodded but looked a bit hesitant. "Is there a specific reason you'd like to activate those three?"

"I'll need to review their power and elemental data before I gift them to Yamato Takeru-sama so I thought I'd test them now" Otohime then gave the man a narrowed gaze. "Will that be a problem?"

The man swiftly shook his head. "Not at all! We'll activate them at once!" He then turned to several of his coworkers who were startled by his raised voice. "Don't just stand there! Activate test subjects 04, 07, and 010 immediately!"

"Y-Yes sir!"

They quickly rushed to follow the man's orders and simultaneously entered data into the tubes keyboard. After a few seconds, the three tubes that were filled with water began to quickly drain as the floating bodies of the three trapped all slowly opened their eyes and broke the glass containing them.

"Quickly, bring their robes!" the head researched ordered, causing several woman to rush into the lab holding silk white robes, the standard attire for the ladies of Kamigari.

After robbing the three test subjects, all of the workers left the room per Otohime's instructions as she walked slowly around the three clones, scanning them closely. Each of them had beautiful silver hair, similar to that Otohime herself and their king Yamato Takeru and were standing straight in front of their princess with neutral expressions. The one standing in the middle was a young and doll like girl with short silver hair while the two standing beside her were both voluptuous adult woman.

Otohime was pleased with the results as she had to thank the researchers for their excellent work in creating good looking specimens. With Kamigari's current technology, creating several model class humans with near perfect attractiveness was a rather simple task thanks to their enormous funding from the government.

"...You, what's your name?" Otohime asked the young girl standing in the front who cocked her head to the side in response to the question, her beautiful and clear white eyes blinking in confusion.

"My name is designated as Subject 04"

"Wrong" Otohime pointed her finger at her and smiled beautifully. "Your name is now Yukina Yamato, you are my younger sister"

"Yu...kina?" The girl responded with an elated expression, clearly exited at having been given a name after birth and nodded her head with a faint blush. "I like it... sister"

"I'm pleased to hear that" Otohime was already favouring Yukina as her new sibling as she had always wanted a younger sister, and the pain of losing Gouken was already beginning to subside.

"Ooh! I want a name too!" The woman standing on the right side of Yukina yelled as she jumped up and down. She had messy long hair that reached past her waist and was the tallest of the three siblings with a dynamite figure, having at least K-cup breasts that jiggled ridiculously every time she moved.

"I would also like a name, it sounds so pleasing" This time, it was the woman standing on Yukina's left side as unlike her excited sister, she was more calm and collected and had the vibe of a seductive predator. Her hair was just as long as her sister's but had a different hair style as one of her bangs was covering her left eye. She was only slightly shorter than her sister but taller than Yukina and also possessed a curvaceous frame as the silk roam she was garbed in did a poor job at hiding her exceptional curves and cleavage.

Otohime nodded, pointing to the right sister first. "Very well. You will be known as Victoria Yamato" she then traced her finger over towards the left sister "and you will be known as Cassandra Yamato"

"Victoria! That sounds strong and cool! I love it, thanks sis!" Victoria yelled as she was practically doing cartwheels.

"You have my deepest gratitude sister, that name sounds lovely" Cassandra was also quite pleased with her name as she had a wide smile with a tint of flustered cheeks.

"Excellent, now that you have your names I will begin debriefing you on your tasks along with what expectations must be held for a member of the Yamato Family"

"Boo~ That sounds boring, I wanna have some fun!" Victoria puffed her cheeks and huffed.

"Now now sister, we wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for our big sister here. We have to listen to her faithfully, okay?" Yukina tried to appease her elder sister, shooting her even a puppy dog look.

Victoria was hard pressed to counter that look as she crossed her arms and averted her gaze. "That's not fair sis, you can't give me that kind of look and expect me not to say yes"

"I'm glad big sis is so understanding" Yukina smiled, hiding the fact that she had just taken advantage of her older sister's simplistic personality.

"Sister, do you have a mission for us right away?" Cassandra asked Otohime, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Yes I do in fact. Once we go over some tests, I'll be having the three of you accompany me to track down a certain group of pests that have been a thorn in our side"

Immediately, all three siblings' eyes narrowed as they listened to Otohime mention an enemy they could possibly fight. Each of them was born with the instincts of a hardened veteran warrior and so the prospect of fighting strong and worthy opponents was the same as ecstasy to them. A surge of killing intent could be felt from the three siblings which made Otohime slightly back away as she didn't expect the results of their experimentation to be apparent so soon.

Otohime smiled deviously as she prepared her strategy to utilise her brand new squad of elite warriors. Unlike Espada, Kajiru, Hoshii, and Yumemiya, these three were direct clones of Yamato Takeru and didn't need brainwashing in order to fight for him; they'd do so without question. Also, all of their capabilities should even exceed S-Rank ability users and this is without even implanting the original eight Maken!

Speaking of the third years, Otohime had no use for them anymore and planned on offering both Yumemiya and Kajiru to her lord during his feast. Her only regret was being unable to also dispose of Hoshii, the foolish girl who actually believed Kamigari would have allowed her to escape without planting tracking devices all over her body.

"I'm sure the news of my lord's revival has already reached those fools, now let's see what they'll plan to do..."

Otohime had the perfect plan and with her new elite squad composed of Yukina, Cassandra, and Victoria, she was going to regain her pride of being defeated by Tenbi, no matter the cost.

* * *

Miles away from both Tenbi Academy and Kamigari Headquarters, an enormous island stood in the middle of the ocean as numerous tourists were seen arriving by the docs on cruise ships. This island was known as the Nijou Family resort, with the entirety of the island belonging to the Nijou Family that was sponsored by the government in vacationing ability users all over the world.

In the center of the island was a large mansion that was connected by several expensive looking facilities for tourists to enjoy. The main house of the Nijou Family was situated in the mansion and several servants ran around the compound trying to get everything together.

Walking through the spacious hallway that would lead to the Nijou Family Beach Area was none other than Alexis Nijou, Aki's older sister who wasn't in the best of moods. She furiously stomped through the hallway, her large breasts jiggling in response as the expensive dress filled with jewelry shined as bright as a diamond. She had the same hair color as her younger sister but instead of growing it out, she had cut it short of her neck that gave her a more mature and dignified look.

"What's mother thinking!? I've been in line to inherit this place for years and now all because Aki's coming home, she wants to change her mind!?"

To Alexis, the Nijou Family Resort's property was her birthright since the moment she came into this world. Alexis always had the qualifications to run such an extremely profitable business and was groomed into becoming a worthy successor since childhood. It was the only thing that she had over her sister who not only inherited her mother's beauty to a more refined degree; she also had the capability of utilizing elements and enrolling in Tenbi Academy. She even became a registered doctor! Aki was her younger sister and yet it always seemed that Aki was the favorite of the family.

Alexis stopped walking and frowned, cupping her chin at her next course of action."Shit, what should I do? Damian has already met mother and made a good impression so I should have a lead but I have no idea what kind of man Aki will bring..."

Damian, Alexis's husband was a successful man who was not only the heir to a profitable business company, but also a working model for one of the most famous magazines in the industry today. He was rated extremely highly by woman all over the world and had a never ending amount of suitors who would jump at the chance to talk with him, let alone date him. Alexis was lucky to have met him when she did and the two of them made a deal regarding inter-grading their two businesses' together and going global to become wealthy beyond belief!

That plan however, could only come to fruition if Alexis inherited the Nijou Family Resort which her mother, Leila hadn't approved of yet.

"If mother meets Aki and her boyfriend and prefers them over us, we'll need a backup plan to win her favor... I'll need to speak with him about this"

Alexis was sure her boyfriend could trounce any man Aki could bring but it didn't hurt to have a contingency plan in place as she moved through the hallway and opened the large door, entering the beach area.

The view of the beach was spectacular but Alexis ignored that and focused on the woman who was sunbathing on the beach floor, her body laid down on a folding chair and arms tucked behind her back.

This was Leila Nijou, Aki and Alexis' mother and the current owner of the resort. To call her a beauty would be a grave understatement as she was a heavenly angel that had near flawless skin, a slender and curvaceous physique and of course, enormous breasts that were common for woman in the Nijou Family. She was wearing a white bikini and drinking from a glass cup filled with orange juice as a pair of black shades was present on her face.

"Mama" Alexis began as she walked next to her bathing mother. "I have something I wish to speak with you about"

"Hmm?" Leila barely recognized that voice as she lifted her shades and saw her daughter standing next to her. "Oh Lexy! How are you? What do you wish to speak with mother about?"

Alexis didn't prefer the nickname but did not voice it out loud. "When Aki gets here with her boyfriend, how will you judge which couple will inherit the resort?"

Leila stared at Alexis for a few seconds before she smirked in a mischievous manner and put her shades back on. "That' a secret~ Secrets are no fun if people know about them beforehand, doncha think?"

"B-But I'd like to-

Leila's voice suddenly went cold as she directed a glare towards her daughter. "Your bothering me Lexy..."

"...Forgive me, I'll leave you to your bathing" Alexis was smart enough to know when not to bother her easily irritated mother and took her leave with a bitter expression. Whatever plans she had to secure her favor with Leila clearly needed to be reworked as the woman saw through it and played her like a fiddle.

As Leila continued to sunbathe and take in the sun's rays, the excitement she felt coming from meeting her daughter again along with her boyfriend was almost too much to contain.

"I really hope she brings a cute boy~ I want my son in law to take care of me, in numerous ways than one~"

Leila's plans for choosing her successor were not voiced, but judging by the sinister smile on her face, it was suffice to say that they wouldn't be positive.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright so we're getting into the Resort Island Arc, which is the arc right before the Final Confrontation between Yamato Takeru and Nagi's group. Just a head's up, all of these characters are OC's and so don't exist in the original Manga so don't bother searching them up.**

 **I'm really excited for this arc as Nagi will potentially gain another Pactio Contractor, the question is who? Leila? Alexis? One of the clones perhaps? You'll find out soon.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Off to Resort Island!**

An announcement regarding the cancellation of the festival matchup between Tenbi Academy and Kamigari spread like wildfire around campus and many of the students were both puzzled and disappointed at the sudden news. After such an embarrassing defeat yesterday, everyone wanted to see Team Tenbi fight back and obtain victory against Otohime and her haughty attitude. Though they felt it was a waste, the announcement was made by Minori herself and one would have to be a fool to question her decisions.

Since it was decided that Nagi and the group would be travelling to the Resort Island for a week to train, Minori handed over the administrative decisions to Tomika, Gen, and Akaya, three of her closest friends that she had gone through thick and thin with. There was no guarantee Kamigari would leave them alone while Yamato Takeru was rejuvenating so just in case, Minori wanted to leave some capable adults here to protect the students while they were gone. Takeshi also requested to stay to give them a hand but it was as clear as day that his true goal was to avoid going to the island so as not to meet Aki's eccentric mother.

As for the members of the Maken Ki, the only ones who would be travelling to the island were Takeru, Haruko, Inaho, Himegami, Azuki, Kurigasa, and Usui. Of course, Nagi, Minori, and Aki were included in going, and while Isabella and Espada weren't members of the Maken Ki, they felt duty bound to follow the group but in actuality, they just wanted to stay closer to Nagi for… personal reasons. The girls of Venus wanted to go as well but they were called back to Yomatsuri to act as bodyguards for the higher ups. They had wanted to observe Nagi more but their loyalty to the organization came first and they had no choice but to let it go for now. As for Hoshii, she had been taken to the infirmary after the meeting to recuperate and Minori had given Akaya fierce instructions to watch her carefully.

About an hour later, several helicopters that had been dispatched by the Nijou Family arrived on top of main building where Nagi and the group were waiting. Each helicopter could carry a maximum of four people so the groups were divided by that number, with Nagi sitting with Aki, Minori and Espada. The helicopters took off and they were now gliding through the air, on route to the Nijou Family Resort with the goal of convincing Leila to give the resort to Aki so that they could use it to train.

"So we're really going…" Minori sighed in defeat as she grimly looked out one of the windows.

"You're really afraid of Aki's mother that bad?" Nagi questioned in a teasing manner.

"Of course I'm not afraid of her… I'm terrified!" Minori's body was trembling as she shook her head to rid herself of the nightmarish thoughts of meeting Leila again. She then directed a curious gaze at Nagi. "Anyway, what about you, Nagi? You turned over a leaf pretty quickly after you were so adamant against it before"

Nagi's ears piqued up when he had heard that and he averted his gaze. "I-Is that so? I don't recall acting any different…"

Minori shot Nagi a narrowed gaze as she didn't believe his attitude for a second and recalled the conversation shortly after Nagi had been decided to play Aki's boyfriend.

* * *

"So it's decided! Nagi, you have been awarded the role of playing as Aki's boyfriend! Is that understood?" Minori shouted towards Nagi who scrunched his face in an annoyed manner.

"Hah? Why the hell do I have to do something like that, tomato head?"

"What was that!?" Minori roared, infuriated that Nagi had reverted to calling her that insulting nickname.

Takeshi nudged Nagi with his elbow and grinned. "Well aren't you lucky, to have Aki-chan as your girlfriend even if it is temporary. You don't have to be shy"

"I'm not shy you perverted old man" Nagi retorted towards Takeshi who grumbled.

"Then what's the issue? You're the one who suggested we train and now that we found the perfect place, you don't want to go?" Himegami questioned, a hint of mischief in her tone. Nagi had toyed and teased her relentlessly over the past few days and now it was her turn!

Nagi frowned a bit, unable to refute that claim as he scratched his cheek awkwardly. Truthfully, there weren't any pressing issues for Nagi to decline the proposal of faking his relationship with Aki aside from his pride of already being married. He was devoted to Arika and even though he was separated from her, he had no intentions of going back on the vow he made. More importantly, Nagi feared what she might do to him if she ever found out about it.

As Nagi weighed the pro's and con's against one another, he failed to notice the approaching Aki who had walked in front of him and grabbed both of his hands with a pleading look spread across her face.

"I'm begging you, Nagi-san! There's no one else I can rely on to impress mama, please help me!" Aki had bent down now and was at eye level with Nagi as her low cut top that exposed her humongous cleavage came into full view of Nagi who was tongued tied to refuse.

"W-Well..." He awkwardly said, a small faint blush present on his face as he admired Aki's god sent gifts before he noticed the annoyed glares coming from Himegami and Isabella. Minori was completely okay with Aki using her sex appeal to convince Nagi, even if she wasn't aware of it, as she gave her a thumbs up.

Takeshi grinned in a teasing manner as he noticed Nagi's resilience dropping by the second and thought that he needed one more push to get him to go. "Oh that's right! If I remember correctly, the Nijou Family Resort has some of the best cuisine I've ever tasted. It's a shame that Nagi doesn't want to go and miss out on those rare delicacies…"

"I'll go" Nagi didn't even hesitate as he gripped Aki's hands with a determined expression on his face.

"E-Eh? O…Okay?" Aki was stunned into complete bewilderment along with everyone watching presently.

"…That's all it took to convince him?" They all thought, now aware that one of the easiest ways to convince Nagi to do something would be to bribe him with food.

* * *

Nagi continued to feign ignorance but couldn't ignore the drilling eyes of Minori tunneling into his body as he whistled while avoiding her gaze. Damn woman was as sharp as ever.

"A-Anyway, if your mom is as bad as Minori over here claims she is, we're going to have to make this convincing"

Aki nodded. "Mama is very perceptive so if we're not careful, she'll notice immediately that we're pretending to be l-lovers…" Aki felt her face flush a tad shade of red as she still felt embarrassed about claiming to have a lover, despite it just being an act.

"Is there anything I should know about you that your mom would expect me to know?" Nagi questioned.

Aki took a minute to think the question over before she shook her head. "Aside from the obvious stuff like my birthday and my hobbies, we shouldn't have to worry about the minor details. Mama only thinks we've been dating for a few months so it's not as if she expects our relationship to be that close"

Nagi sighed in relief. "That's a load off my back; I'm not good at remembering stuff like that"

"Ain't that the truth" Minori deadpanned, playfully sticking her tongue out at Nagi who had sent her an annoyed glare.

"Excuse me but…" Espada's voice alerted everyone's attention as she had raised her hand. "May I ask a question?"

"Of course you can, what's your mind?" Minori asked.

"It's nothing too important but…" Suddenly, a surge of perverted excitement could be seen hiding behind Espada's elated eyes that made Minori and Aki shudder. "If you two are going to pretend to be a couple, shouldn't you both act more romantically towards one another?"

Dead silence filled the helicopter with its passengers not uttering a single word after Espada's proclamation. The silence was mostly caused by Nagi giving Espada a strange look while Minori and Aki looked stunned by what Espada had just said.

"R-Romantically you say? C-Could you elaborate more on that?" Aki repeated, a bit flustered by the idea.

Espada cocked her head. "Isn't it obvious? A man and a woman being in a relationship for a few months should surely have an intimate relationship in that time. As such, you two should stick close to each other and be aggressive in showing your love" Espada declared with a straight face hidden with anxiety. To her, seeing just how far Nagi and Aki would take the act was too attractive of an ordeal to pass up seeing.

"I-I don't believe we have to go that far…" Aki reluctantly admitted as she tried to shut down the idea. With how little experience she had with men, Espada' suggestion was simply far too much for her heart to take.

"Don't you think it's a good idea, master?" Espada turned to Nagi who hadn't voiced his opinion on the matter yet.

"Hmm…" Nagi pondered for a minute as he brought his hand to his chin. What Espada said did make sense and if the two of the really were going to play the role of lovers, acting as such would only help them convince Aki's mother even more. With no objections to the idea, Nagi readily nodded as he gave his approval. "If that's what it'll take to convince her mom then I don't see a problem with it. Good job thinking of it Espa"

Espada smiled beautifully as she received sincere praise from Nagi, inwardly pumping her nonexistent fist into the air in celebration. "Please, think nothing of it"

"H-Hold on a minute!" Aki complained, still not on the same page as Nagi and Espada. "I-It's really not necessary for us to have to act like lovers…"

"Aren't you the one who said that your mother wouldn't be fooled with half assed attempts?" Espada questioned with an obviously fake innocent look. One way or another, this was going to happen.

"B-But…" Aki was beginning to shrink under the pressure as she couldn't come up with a good enough excuse to foil Espada's plans as she quietly stole a glance from the passive Nagi who was now looking out the window of the helicopter. The image of Nagi and herself flirting with one another somehow popped up into her head and she madly blushed at the thought, shaking her head and taking a deep breath to cool herself off. As she thought, it was too much for her!

Minori's eyebrows flashed with playful trickery as she watched Aki get flustered around Nagi and decided to play along with Espada's idea. "I think you two should do it. Leila definitely won't get suspicious if you two act like lovers, so I say go for it"

"M-Minori!" Aki was hoping Minori would back her up on this but that dream was lost as Minori began cackling, obviously intent on paying Aki back for all of the times she had tried to tease her when Nagi was involved.

With no escape to the situation, Aki clenched her mini skirt and boasted a serious expression. "F-Fine I'll do it! Happy now!?"

Espada couldn't have been happier as the first stage of her goal had been completed, getting Aki and Nagi to take the role of playing lovers more seriously. Of course, she would have loved it if she could switch places with Aki and become Nagi's lover but there no need to push her boundaries. With a little more preparation and luck, her erotic image of Nagi and Aki together devouring one another lovingly would be finalized and her body shuddered at the thought. It was almost too stimulating to contain!

"O-Oi… are you okay?" Minori asked the elated Espada, who had come to realize her blunder of showing her true emotions.

"Ahem… I-I'm fine, no need to worry" Espada spat out awkwardly, averting her eyes from the group as the trip towards the island became even more uncomfortable for the passengers.

* * *

The several helicopters flying through the sky had finally reached their destination as a large and isolated island came into viewing over the horizon. Everyone seemed incredibly anxious to finally step foot on the legendary Nijou Family Resort as their eyes were glued to the several attractions running all over the island and the countless amount of ships docking on the harbor.

Because the group had been officially recognized as VIP guests, the helicopters passed right over the harbor and headed straight for the family estate where the Nijou Family resided as Leila had specifically asked for Aki and her friends to sleep in the mansion. Such an honor was not normally granted to those outside of the family but certain exceptions had to be made for this group as Leila's plans for them were heavily dependent on them being as close to her as possible.

The helicopters landed right in front of them mansion where unexpectedly, several rows of serving maids and butlers were lined up and awaiting the arrival of one of their masters. After the helicopters had landed, the pilots got out of their seat's and rushed to open the passenger doors as the Tenbi group all left the helicopters one by one.

"Wow, this place is huge!" Takeru shouted enthusiastically as he finally got a good view of the surrounding area. The others around him also leaked out sighs of amazement as they took in the spacious and glamorous resort.

Azuki whistled in admiration as she placed both of her hands on her hips. "No kidding… is there really where Aki-sensei family lives?"

"Get it together you damn brats, we didn't come here for a vacation!" Minori reprimanded as she watched her students start scattering all over the place. Seriously, just what did they think they came here for? It didn't take long after that for Minori to get them all back at the entrance of the mansion where they were approached by a tall butler with silver hair.

"It's a pleasure to receive such esteemed guests and friends of Aki-sama. My name is Edgar; I will be attending to all you lovely ladies and gentleman for your stay here. Please, if there is anything you require then do not hesitate to ask me" Edgar's elegance and charm were noteworthy as he earned squeals from nearby ladies who were curious about the helicopters landing on the island. On the resort, Edgar was one of the more popular residents and many ladies fantasized about having the chance to be served by him.

"It's good to see you again Edgar-san, how have you been?" Aki answered sincerely with a beautiful smile, causing Edgar to dramatically point to himself and arch his back.

"You mustn't worry about me, my lady! There will never be a day where I will show myself to you as anything other than perfect and healthy! I swear this on my life!"

Everyone around him looked disbelievingly at Edgar's antics and wondered if he was somehow related to Akaya.

"I-Is that so…" Aki awkwardly smiled as she never could get used to Edgar's… personality and waited to be led inside by him and the other servers to her mother.

"Please follow me; the mistress is waiting for you along with Lady Alexis and her fiancée. Oh, I almost forgot! I had heard from the mistress that Aki-sama has brought home a potential suitor…." In an instant, a dark and sinister feeling began to radiate from Edgar as his eyes sharpened. "May I ask where he is?"

Minori and Aki both swallowed their spit internally as they saw the blood lust coming from Edgar's eyes. No doubt, this was one of the many tests set by Aki's mother to have Edgar examine and report whether the boyfriend Aki brought home was someone she was really dating or someone who she randomly picked. Edgar was as sharp as they came and no half-assed attempt at replicating a relationship would fool someone who was utterly devoted to such an important matter.

"Yo, you were looking for me?"

The tense atmosphere was then washed away almost instantly as Edgar swiftly turned around to find Nagi standing behind him with a blank expression. He was momentarily stunned as he observed the man in front of him with a suspicious gaze, studying him from every angle. Ignoring the fact that this man was able to sneak up behind him, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the other butlers and maids present, Edgar was having difficulty in trying to probe any noteworthy info on his mysterious stranger.

As an uncomfortable amount of time passed between them, Nagi's eyebrows twitched in annoyance as he directed a frown towards Edgar. "The hell are you staring at?"

" _Oi, that's way too rude!_ " Minori and the others who were watching thought worriedly as Nagi was derailing the plan they had set up.

"A-Ah, pardon me for my rudeness" Edgar quickly regained his bearings and offered a bow. "I was just wasn't expecting Aki-sama's lover to be such a stunning young man. We have yet to be introduced; my name is Edgar Nijou, head butler of the Nijou Family and the one who has looked after the young mistress since she could barely walk. May I have the pleasure of knowing what her lover's name is?"

"There he goes; Edgar's trying to see how Nagi reacts…" Minori thought to herself as she watched the exchange between the two with a nervous gaze. She was more concerned on how Nagi was going to respond as this exchange required delicacy, something that Nagi was absolutely alien too.

Nagi nodded bluntly without saying much. "I'm Nagi Springfield"

"Nagi-sama is it? Haha, what a unique name. You look like a very reliable and confident young man, those are excellent qualities to have for a man. It is quite easy to see how our young miss fell for a man of your caliber, right?" He directed a warm gaze towards Aki who slightly blushed.

"C-Come on now Edgar-san, you're embarrassing me" Aki admitted with an embarrassed expression, her along with Edgar's expressions having become confused when they noticed a chuckle escape from Nagi's mouth.

"You've got it backwards" Nagi stated as he walked right past Edgar and stood next to Aki, grabbing her by the waist as he pulled her into his chest, ignoring the stunned and beat red face of the woman he was holding. "Aki is the exceptional one. She means the world to me" His voice and tone were resolute, as if he truly believed what he was saying without question.

"...!" Aki could practically feel her heart beat pounding out of her chest as she listened to Nagi's bold proclamation and remained in his embrace, unable to ear herself away from his strong arms. She thought she was losing her mind as she couldn't think straight and if it wasn't for the fact that she couldn't afford to make Edgar suspicious, she would have probably fainted awhile ago.

There were mixed reactions coming from the observing crowd, some finding the scene too be absolutely adorable and romantic as squeals could be heard while others, such as Himegami and Isabella, were not pleased at seeing their close proximity. Espada nodded her head in approval at Nagi's actions and threw him a thumbs up when she noticed his gaze meet hers, with his eyes practically asking "Like this?".

"..."

Edgar remained quiet, eyes sharpened at Nagi's unexpected behavior as he tried to gauge the reaction of the "couple" standing before him. His mistress had been very clear about searching for any signs of Aki and her supposed lover faking a relationship and as of this moment, Edgar couldn't find anything that would indicate that they were pretending. Looking at lady Aki's face, she was definitely embarrassed about being hugged in public but clearly did not show any signs of resilience from Nagi's embrace, an indication that they were close. Edgar knew Aki _very_ well and so he decided to believe that Aki had brought home a suitable lover as a warm smile enveloped his face.

"Haha, it is good to see that you two are very close. Please" Edgar bowed politely in front of both Nagi and Aki. "Take good care of the young mistress, she is like a daughter to me"

Nagi glanced over towards Aki who nodded at his gaze as her way of saying he should follow up. Shrugging, Nagi bowed as well and spoke in a comfortable tone. "Leave it to me"

"Thank you very much" Edgar was all smiles as he was too overjoyed at the fact that one of his master's had brought home a great man.

"A-Anyway" Aki began as she slowly distanced herself from Nagi, her face still flushed red. "S-Shouldn't we be moving along? We shouldn't keep mama waiting after all" Aki requested, hoping to change the flow of the current conversation.

Minori picked up on what Aki was trying to do and stepped forward from the group. "Y-Yes that's right! You know how Leila can get haha, we definitely don't want her to wait too long"

"But of course, please follow me" Edgar saw no problems with speeding up the investigation, leading the group into the mansion as they passed through the large doors. As they walked inside, Aki made her way over towards Nagi's side and nudged on his black shirt, altering the man's attention.

"What's up?"

Aki leaned in and whispered into his ear. "You have to be more careful, Nagi-san. Edgar is very perceptive and if we're going to fool him and mama, you have to make sure not to speak too bluntly"

"What for? Four eyes over there didn't seem to mind…" Nagi stated, earning a face palm from Aki.

"That's what I'm talking about! You can't just call him 'four eyes'! That rude way of speaking to others is what will ruin the plan!"

Nagi frowned, not buying completely all of what Aki was lecturing him about. Wasn't she making a big deal out of nothing? Still, he did promise to help her and the mouthwatering food that awaited him in the resort was enough to override Nagi's pride as he sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I'll keep it under control"

Aki smiled in relief, believing that Nagi would keep his attitude under control. "Thank you, Nagi-san" She then looked down at the ground for a bit as her face became red again at the memory of what Nagi had done to her earlier. "...A-Also, you have to warn me when your... going to do things like that... I need time to prepare... my heart can't handle... stuff like that... you know..." Aki was practically mumbling to herself as she twiddled her fingers in a cutesy manner.

"Hm?" Nagi raised his eyebrow at Aki's mumbling. "Did you say something?"

"Agh, just forget it!" Aki huffed as she turned her face away, pouting that her message hadn't gotten across. He really was clueless when it came to a woman's heart!

Nagi merely shrugged in response. "Whatever" He then cupped his chin as he thought about something that was bothering and he turned back to look at Aki. "Hey, don't you think you're also ruining our chances as well?" Nagi pointed out, surprising the puzzled woman.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, if we're supposed to be playing the role of lovers, shouldn't you stop addressing me with a honorific? Just call me Nagi, just like how I call you Aki"

"E-Eh?" B-But that's…" Aki was feeling a bit embarrassed about doing such a thing as she avoided his gaze. The more time she spent with Nagi, the more she felt her common sense leaving her as customs and traditions she was taught when she was was a kid were being completely thrown out the window by the red haired magician. It was already embarrassing enough to play the role as his lover and be embraced by him, now she had to address him without an honorific? Was he trying to kill her?

As Nagi watched Aki struggle internally with the decision, he smiled softly and gave the woman a strong pat on the back.

"H-Huh? N-Nagi-san?" Aki asked innocently, not sure on why he had done such a thing.

"Seems calling me without an honorific is too much for you right now, right? You don't have to force yourself. Until you're ready to do it, you can just call me darling or something, you can handle _at least_ that much right?"

"Hey!" Aki pouted, puffing out her cheeks as she frowned at Nagi. "I'm not a child you know; even I can handle something like that"

Nagi grinned in a mischievous manner. "Oh? Then prove it"

Fed up with his arrogant attitude, Aki latched herself onto Nagi's free arm, as her body was now directly in contact with his and she walked side by side with him. "Then I will, Nagi!"

The sensation of having Aki's exquisite breasts pressed against his arms was a pleasant experience for the snickering Nagi who couldn't believe that she had fallen for such an obvious bait. Even though he felt a bit guilty for being so close to another woman other besides Arika, it was part of the act so he didn't have a choice… or so he believed.

Minori, who had been walking a few steps behind Nagi and Aki, frowned slightly as she watched the two of them lock arms like that. When she teased Aki about going through with the "fake couple" plan, she didn't think it would annoy her this much. It couldn't have been jealously, right?

Himegami wasn't much better as she crossed her arms and huffed in the opposite direction, earning a depressed reaction out of Usui.

Espada was the only one among the group who was enjoying the spectacle and hoped that Aki would become much more daring in her act.

After a few minutes of walking through the main house with Edgar leading the way, the group had finally made it to what seemed to be an enormous lobby where hundreds of strangers were seen standing in, idly chatting with one another without a care in the world.

Edgar turned around and bowed. "We've arrived in the main foyer. If you could be so kind as to remain here, the mistress of the house will be arriving shortly "

Following that, Edgar left the group and disappeared within the crowd, leaving the Tenbi group not sure on what to do as they stood in the corner of the lobby.

"Who are all these people?" Nagi asked.

"They're tourists who are also VIP guests, just the same as us. Only those who have special permission from mama can be here" Aki replied, her eyes wandering from side to side in the hopes of spotting anyone she deemed suspicious. Her mother may have planted spies among the people here so she had to stay alert and ascertain if this was another test.

Aki instinctively held onto Nagi's arm tighter as she felt a bit nervous in front of such a crowd, an act that didn't go unnoticed by Nagi himself who didn't mind the sensation.

Having enough of it, Minori cut in between the two of them as she broke their contact and nudged Nagi on his elbow. "Hey, I don't think you two have to take it far, especially since their not watching us right now"

Nagi raised his eyebrow at Minori's odd timing but shrugged nonetheless as he walked over to one of the walls and lay back with his arms crossed. "Whatever, call me when we're ready to start"

"N-Nagi-sa… I mean, Nagi!" Aki proclaimed, now turning her attention to Minori with a frustrated glare. "Why did you do that Minori? What if mama is monitoring us right now?"

"U-Uhm no reason in particular…" Minori awkwardly admitted as she scratched her cheek and avoided eye contact. There was no way in hell she was going to admit that she couldn't stand seeing the two of them lock arms together like that and prayed Aki wasn't aware of it.

Aki wasn't buying Minori's excuse as she narrowed her eyes at the nervous principal before heavily sighing, placing both her hands on her hips. "Fine but next time, speak with me first when you do something like that"

"You got it" Minori agreed, pumping her fist at being able to fool Aki.

Himegami stepped forward from the group as she looked displeased about something. "How long do we have to wait around here? Didn't that butler guy mention that your mother was waiting for us?"

Azuki was of the same opinion as she stretched her back. "Yea he did mention that. What's up with having us wait here? Doesn't this house belong to your family? Surely we should get better treatment than this…"

They were all making excellent points Aki thought as she glanced around the room with a nervous expression."I don't understand it myself but there must be a reason why he made us wait here…"

Not a moment later, the large pair of doors at the front of the lobby swung wide open and from them, a group of individuals stepped into the room with the grace and elegance befitting a royal family of the highest order.

"Kyaaa! It's Mistress Leila and Lady Alexis!" a group of tourist men and woman screamed as they watched the figures of the beautiful mother and daughter combo walk inside the lobby being escorted by two handsome men, one of them being Edgar and the other being Alexis' husband and fiancée, Damian. Leila was wearing an extravagant pure white silk dress that showed off her enormous cleavage while Damian went more casual and wore a plain purple sweater with brown jeans. He had flowing brown hair that was slicked back and wore a pair of black shades that gave him the appeal of a famous movie star.

"M-Mama… Sis…" Aki nervously whispered as she watched her mother and sister elegantly walk through the large gathering of people and stand in the center of the lobby.

"Holy crap, that's Aki's mom!? She's my erotic fantasy!" Usui voiced out all of the collective thoughts of the men gathered in the Tenbi group as his eyes twinkled with perverted lust, eyeing Leila's rather humongous cleavage as she spotted an even bigger bust than Aki and Minori.

Admist the loud chatter and gossip, a suspicious gaze was cast over towards Leila and her group from Nagi who observed them with a mildly surprised, but not impressed expression.

" _So that's Aki mom and sis? How old is her mother? She's far too young looking to be the mother of a woman of Aki's age..._ "

Over on Leila's side, she smiled sweetly towards all of the tourists paying her compliments and words of praise while hiding her true motive of observing her daughter's group of friends. Naturally, that included the boyfriend she was bringing who she was absolutely dying to meet after Edgar had notified her of his arrival. Unfortunately, Edgar had not mentioned what he had looked like or anything much about the mysterious boyfriend so Leila was left having to wait until she met with her daughter and asked who he was up front. She sighed, why did her subordinates have to tease her so?

Edgar was quick to pick up on his mistresses' plight and quietly whispered in her ear. "My lady, I believe your meeting with Aki and her lover should become easier once you deal with the crowd"

"Oh! Of course! Yes, let's do that!" Leila nodded in agreement; thanking the stars she had such a competent servant beside her.

Clearing her throat, Leila took a few steps forward and addressed the large group of people gathered around her. "Ladies and Gentleman, I sincerely thank all of your for visiting the Nijou Resort and hope that the services we provide will satisfy your every desire. Please do not be afraid to request anything of the maids and butlers as they will spare no expense to serve all of you to the best of their abilities. As VIP guests, you are all free to roam around the island and visit our many attractions, including the newly built amusement park that I have no doubt many of you will enjoy. The butlers and maids will show you too your rooms to allow you all to get accommodated"

Leila proceeded to snap her fingers and at the drop of a hat, numerous butlers and maids began pouring in from a nearby staircase. It was hard not to be impressed by the spread of attractive individuals that had just appeared by someone simply snapping their fingers, a testament to Leila's tastes and fetishes regarding what company she hired. The maids and butlers then led the numerous tourists that were scattered in the lobby to the upper levels as they made their way back up the stair case, leaving only Leila's group and Aki's group left.

"H-Hello, Mama…" Aki stuttered with a nervous expression as she walked in front of her peers towards Leila, who had noticed Aki's approach and jumped excitedly towards her beloved daughter.

"Aki! Mama has missed you so much!" Leila didn't even bother to restrain her happiness as she bear hugged the frightened Aki and squeezed her about as tightly as could be.

"Y-You're crushing me… Mama…" Aki was having trouble breathing as she tried to get her mother to let go of her. Some things would never change.

"Ah that's right" Leila had finally let the lifeless Aki go as she coughed and bowed towards the colleagues standing behind her. "Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. I am Leila Nijou, Aki and Alexis' mother and the proud owner of this lovely resort that you will all be staying in. I do hope that you find your stay here satisfactory"

In the face of such elegance and beauty, the men all stuttered to return her greetings while the girls were memorized by her clearly superior appearance to their own.

Minori was only one of the few that wasn't in a trance as she tried to step back and erase her presence but it was a futile attempt as Leila spotted her immediately and ran up to her.

"Minori-chan! It's been so long since I've seen you! Look at how big you've grown!" Leila had grabbed a hold of Minori's waist and squeezed her from behind, a disturbing sensation now plaguing the scared Minori who couldn't handle dealing with Leila.

"H-Hello… Leila-san…" She tried to escape but it was no use; the woman was some sort of herculean monster.

"Oh come now Minori-chan, you already know you don't have to be so formal with me" Leila expressed a smile that could slay any man but there was a subtle maliciousness within it that Minori caught. "But I do wonder why you haven't answered my calls…?"

Minori gulped. "W-Well.. I-I've been pretty busy… ya know?"

Leila wasn't buying any of it but decided to ignore it for now as she smiled at Minori again and let go of her aching body. "Mkay, I'll forgive you since you are one of my favorites. I'll have you accompany me later so we can get reacquainted again, alright?"

"…Yes ma'am…" Minori resigned herself to her dreadful fate as she inwardly cursed the snickering students in the back that had found the entire exchange laughable.

"Hmph, I don't even know why you bothered to come at all. Mama has already decided to give me the resort" A crude and unwelcoming voice in the back spoke as Aki turned her eyes towards her sister, Alexis who looked unpleased by being in the same room as her.

"Sis…" Aki worded with anxiety, aware of the fact that her sister still held a personal grudge against her that didn't seem to be going away anytime soon. However, that didn't mean she was going to back down against her older sister as she took a deep breath and puffed out her chest. "That hasn't been decided yet. We're going to compete fairly for the resort"

"Why you…" Alexis sneered as she couldn't stomach Aki speaking back to her with such a tone. Since when did her incompetent and shy sister have enough back bone to mess with her?

"Honey, calm down" A hand was placed on Alexis' shoulder as Damian's voice came into the conversation. "You shouldn't be this rude towards your own sister"

"B-But dear…" Alexis frowned in displeasure at her fiancée's supposed defense of Aki, but that soon changed as Damian whispered his next choice of words into her ear.

"We'll ruin whatever reputation we have with your mother if we don't show your useful sister the proper respect. Be patient, we'll use her to gain the advantage"

"…Alright, fine" Alexis reluctantly accepted her fiancée's words and showcased an awkward smile towards her sister. "Y-You look…. well?" She clearly wasn't used to giving out compliments.

"…Uh… thanks?" Aki worded with uncertainty as she looked at her sister's false and insincere attempts at praising her. Her eyes then trailed over to Damian, who noticed her gaze and flashed a charming smile.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Aki-san" Damian expressed in a friendly manner, completely opposite to the tone of voice he had used just a second ago when speaking with his fiancée. He reached his hand out for a handshake as that smile never left his face. "You're becoming more beautiful each time I see you"

Aki inwardly frowned at Damian's rather obviously fake attitude but smiled nonetheless as she accepted the handshake. "You haven't changed at all I see. Still a flatterer as always"

Damian chuckled. "Come now, there's nothing wrong with stating the truth. Oh, I had almost forgotten…" Damian's eyes then twinkled with subtle ferocity as he scanned over Aki's peers behind her. "I was informed that you brought your boyfriend here with you? Where is he?"

Alexis quickly followed her fiancé's lead as she brushed past Aki and narrowed her eyes towards the Tenbi boys. "Oh yes, we heard _all_ about it from mama. Please, do show us the man that was able to win the affections of my dear sister. I'm just _dying_ to meet him"

Aki swallowed her spit as she crossed eyes with Alexis, who was flashing an arrogant expression, as if the idea that Aki had brought home a man that was better than Damian was laughable.

"Yes! Yes! Where is he?" Leila had also heard the conversation and looked over at the group of Tenbi students. She obviously ignored the young girls and examined each of the guys that were present.

" _Hmm, which one is he?"_ She first looked at Kai. " _It can't possibly be that big one over there, can it? He's got an excellent build but his face is far too rough looking for me to consider him handsome._ " Her eyes then moved onto Usui. " _This one is a bit better looking but he lacks any confidence in himself… and how long is he going to stare at my cleavage? A healthy libido is critical for Aki's lover but this one seems like the wrong kind of pervert_ " Finally, she laid eyes upon Takeru. " _This one is a bit better than those other two as he's not that bad looking nor is he a colossal horn dog based on his expression but… he just seems really average? Is this really the best that Aki could bring me?_ " Leila couldn't even begin to describe how disappointed she was in Aki's selection for boyfriend in terms of looks, build, and confidence. Hell, weren't these kids her students? Obviously, age was a factor but that was something she was more than willing to ignore if the man had met her expectations, which none of these "boys" did.

Damian and Alexis were sharing Leila's thoughts as they both inwardly mocked Aki for trying to fake having a boyfriend by having one of these pubescent school boys, who all reeked of being virgins, act as her lover. It was just beyond pathetic as they had to hold down the irresistible urge to laugh.

Aki could feel their mockery but didn't care one lick about it; she knew that they were going to be singing a different tune once they got a good look at Nagi. "Yes, I've brought my boyfriend here. Sorry, he's not any of those boys over there, they are all just simply my students that I had accompany me for some training with Minori"

"Oh?" Leila voiced with hope as her dreams of meeting another suitable son in law could actually come true. "So where is this man? You've teased mama long enough"

Damian and Alexis had stopped their inward laughing and focused back onto Aki with a nervous expression. Did she actually bring someone?

Having gained everyone's attention, Aki was ready to unveil Nagi's dashing appearance but was approached by a worried Minori.

"Hey uh Aki, we kinda have a problem…"

"Not now Minori, I'm about to show up mama and Alexis by presenting Nagi"

"No, you see that's just the thing… Nagi's not…" Minori tried her best to explain the dilemma they were in but Aki shot her an annoyed glare.

"Save it for later! We have to make this work now otherwise they'll start to get suspicious" Aki then ignored Minori, who was face palming, and addressed Leila, Damian, and Alexis. "I'm sorry for that rude interruption. Now then, I hope you'll be kind to my b-boyfriend" She then pointed to the wall that Nagi had been leaning against earlier with a smile. "I'd like you to meet Nagi Springfield"

Their eyes followed Aki's and just as she was about to smirk in an arrogant manner, the words that came out of her sister's mouth felt like someone threw hot water all over her.

"So where is he?"

"….Eh?"

Aki blinked, head slowly turning towards the wall as she was expecting to see the figure of Nagi leaning against it but was met with a more cruel reality as no one was standing there at all. She looked all around the lobby for Nagi and couldn't find him at all. What was going on here?

"That's what I was trying to tell you…" Minori sighed as she scratched the back of her head. She had noticed Nagi's disappearance when all of the other guests inside the lobby were being escorted to their rooms. She had wanted to slip out of the place herself but Leila was quick to spot her before she could get away with it.

"Uhm…" A voice spoke in the back as Aki and the others turned to Espada, her hand being raised in the air to gather the attention of everyone. "If you're looking for Mast-I mean Nagi, he said he was going to get some fresh air because it was too stuffy in here"

" _….That idiot..._ " Aki, Minori, and Himegami thought collectively as they couldn't believe Nagi's mindset.

"…So my possible son in law wanted to get some fresh air… before meeting me? How… How…" Leila looked ready to burst as everyone around her backed away, fearful that Nagi's action may have offended the dangerous woman but luckily for them, it was the complete opposite.

"How gallant of him! Wanting to meet his future family when there were no other people around, I must say I'm quite impressed with his foresight" Leila expressed happily, unaware of the confused and baffled looks being tossed around the room. Even Damian and Alexis couldn't believe what her reaction was towards the situation.

"Very well, I shall allow the introduction of your boyfriend to be postponed, dear daughter of mine" Leila then snapped her fingers, alerting Edgar and the other servants in the room. "Edgar, please show my daughter and her friends where they will be staying at"

"Of course" Edgar responded, walking in front of Aki and the Tenbi group as he led them away from the lobby to take them to their living quarters. The only ones left in the lobby were Leila, Alexis, and Damian.

"Mama… are you serious right now?" Leila asked with a displeased expression, prompting her mother to look at her with an obviously fake look.

"Now, whatever could you possibly mean dear Lexy?"

"Do you actually believe that man is Aki's boyfriend? It's obviously a lie! What kind of boyfriend would just leave the room like that without even telling his beloved?"

Damian also interjected. "I agree with Alexis. Leila-san, Aki and her friends are obviously tricking you just to get the resort"

Leila had heard there nagging for the umpteenth time as she sighed and brushed a strand of her beautiful sapphire hair out of her eyes, directing a cold look at them. "Oh? So you can say the two of you haven't done the same thing? Don't think for a second that I am not aware of you little scheme"

In one swift moment, the lobby went completely silent as Damian and Alexis were unable to respond to Leila's piercing words. How could they? She was completely right on the money and they knew it.

That cold expression on Leila's face soon changed back to her friendly smile as she clapped her hands again. "Now now, let's not ruin the reunion of my beautiful family with all this negative talk. I'm so excited to meet Aki's boyfriend, Edgar is such a tease and didn't even tell me what he looked like" A glint of excitement then appeared in her eyes as she walked up the stairs. "Fufu, this week should be really fun! I'm going to see if I can find him before anyone else!"

She soon left the scene as the giant door behind her shut close, leaving the sinister pair of lovers inside the spacious lobby with many things to think about.

"… _Damn that bitch, I thought she was just some stupid rich bimbo but it seems that not all of her brains were absorbed by those breasts_ …" Damian thought as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. His plans were unraveling in front of him and all because Alexis' worthless sister had to butt in and bring with her some random guy she probably didn't even know that well. There was no way in hell he was going to lose his shot at seizing the resort for himself, not after all of the work he had put in.

Alexis herself was also having difficulty finding a counter move to her sisters as she bit her nail. Calling Aki out on her bluff was clearly not going to work anymore so she needed to think of a new strategy.

A sarcastic laugh escaped from Damian's mouth as he grabbed Alexis by her shoulder, surprising the younger woman who looked at him with a confused gaze. "Honey?"

"Don't worry babe, we're not out of this yet. Just you watch, we'll have this place for ourselves in no time"

Alexis nodded as she fell into his arms and smirked. "Your damn right"

* * *

"...Just what kind of place is this?"

Standing on the top of the large estate while checking out the view was an excited Nagi who whistled in admiration as he gazed across the island's several attractions. Theme parks, outdoor sports, and a gorgeous view of the clear ocean; there seemed to be everything a person could ever hope for on the resort island. If it wasn't already obvious by the ridiculously large and fancy looking house that Aki's family lived in that they were loaded with cash, the sight that Nagi was currently seeing was definitely the clearest indicator.

It was breathtaking. Nagi hadn't had much time for leisurely activities when he was growing up, what with trying to stop a damn war and saving the world from an overpowered nutcase and everything. He can't even remember the last time he had even went on a roller coaster! A sense of jealously swelled up inside him as he pouted a bit.

"Man, that just isn't fair..." He was quick to get over his jealously as his eyes gleamed with anxiety at getting the chance to try out all of the rides, siting down on the edge with his hand cupping his chin deep in thought. "I wonder what I should try first? They all look like a good fit for me"

"I've got the perfect fit for you right here!" A voice shouted in the back as Nagi easily dodged what seemed to be a kick to the back of his head and spun around to see an annoyed Himegami glaring at him.

"What's up, shrimp?" He asked nonchalantly.

"You..." Himegami was practically seething as she drew her leg back and crossed her arms. "Just what the hell is wrong with you!? You almost ruined the entire plan back there by disappearing!"

"Ah..." Nagi remembered as he stood up from his seated position and turned to face the angered girl, shrugging with a apathetic expression. "I was bored. Seemed like you guys were going to take forever. What's the big deal?"

An angry vein appeared to surface on Himegami's forehead as she heaved a heavy sigh at the big idiot in front of her. Even after going over the plan several times on the way there, he still didn't seem to grasp such a basic objective. It was actually mind boggling to her how someone so ridiculously powerful could also be so thick headed.

"Look, just don't do anything that would arouse suspicion in front of Aki's mother or her sister and fiance. We were lucky to get off easy because Aki's mother misunderstood your absence but you shouldn't let your guar-"

"Holy crap, did you see that move!?"

"Listen to me damn it!" Himegami shouted with exasperation as she noticed Nagi's attention drawn towards the sight of a surfer pulling off some crazy move in the ocean.

Nagi frowned at Himegami's meddling as he stood up and ruffled her hair while scoffing. "Don't worry, I got it already shrimp. We just gotta make sure that she believes me and Aki are a couple right? Piece of cake. You saw what I did earlier right? No sweat"

"...If you say so" Himegami was hard pressed to counter Nagi's confident boast as she didn't mind the sensation of him ruffling her hair and pouted a bit with a cute expression. If there was one thing she hated about Nagi, it was that he was always able to get her to shut up with nothing but a few words. His confidence was otherworldly, as if everything danced in the palm of his hand. There were so many things about him that she wanted to know, not just because he was from another world, but also because he reminded her alot of her brother, minus the perverted part.

"But you should know that Minori and Aki are going to kill you the next time you see them" Himegami mentioned with a pitiful expression, remembering the dangerous looks that Minori and Aki had given off when they were settling into their rooms.

"Hahaha..." Nagi laughed, taking his hand off of Himegami as he threw both his arms behind his back. "Yea that doesn't surprise me... I'd probably do the same thing" He was definitely in for an earful but Nagi was long prepared for it as he simply accepted his fate.

Himegami watched his carefree expression even when he knew he was in trouble and smiled a bit, eyes now being drawn towards Nagi's soft lips as she recalled what Nagi had told her back at Tenbi regarding the mysterious pactio contract. She didn't know why but finding out that Espada and Nagi had kissed each other just seemed to bug her, even if it was so save Espada's life. She didn't believe she was jealous... at least that's what she kept telling herself. Call it curiosity or something else but she just wanted to know if she too could also receive a magical power like the one Espada had gotten by kissing him.

"Earth to shrimp, you feeling okay?"

"Huh?" Himegami blinked as she was snapped out of her daze and noticed an eyebrow raised Nagi staring at her. She didn't even realize she had been focusing on his lips for an uncomfortable amount of time as her face reddened in embarrassment. "I-I'm fine, forget about it..."

"...If you say so" Nagi shrugged as he turned his back to her, unaware of the conflicted feelings of the small girl standing behind him.

Just as Himegami was about to speak out once more on the topic of what Nagi called a pactio, a harmonic and tender voice could be heard coming from behind them.

"Ara, how lucky for me. I was wondering who was standing up here but it turned out to be my lovely daughter's boyfriend. You're Nagi-kun, right? Oh, and I see you're also here with one of Minori-chan's students"

Both Nagi and Himegmai snapped their heads backwards in order to get a look at the unexpected woman standing a few feet away from them, a pleasant and charming smile plastered on her face. It was none other than Leila Nijou, who had spotted Nagi and Himegami standing on top of the estate and found it appropriate to introduce herself now before the true festivities could begin.

"..." Nagi didn't say anything as he observed the older woman step forward a bit, eyes scanning over Leila's outrageously voluptuous body that made him question if almost every adult woman in this world was built like a super model. Seriously, was there some sort of trick too it?

The smile on Leila's face didn't falter for even a second as her attention was focused entirely on Nagi's idle figure, her mind practically freaking out over the perfect specimen that stood before her.

" _Sweet mother of jesus, he's gorgeous! U-Unbelievable! That beautiful crimson hair... that robust and toned figure... those deep and intimidating eyes... he's exactly my type! He's even better looking than Damian-kun! To think that my clumsy and hopeless daughter that hadn't been able to get a decent man in her entire life would bring back such a magnificent catch! It seems that I have underestimated her, she's far more like myself than I gave her credit for..._ " It was a good thing no one could hear Leila's inner thoughts as they were becoming rather inappropriate regarding her assessment of Nagi. If it wasn't for the fact that she had mastered the art of the poker face, she probably would have been drooling at this very second.

A shiver went down Nagi's spine for some reason as he looked around the area but couldn't find anything, completely oblivious to the perverted thoughts of the older woman standing in front of him.

Coughing to clear the air, Leila gripped her white dress and bowed respectively, showing off a rather sizable amount of cleavage in her open cut dress. "Pardon me for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Leila Nijou, as I'm sure you've been told already. I am Aki's and Alexis' mother, it is a pleasure to meet you Nagi-kun"

Nagi glanced over towards Himegami who noticed his gaze and nodded her head, indicating that he should introduce himself as well.

"The pleasure is mine, Leila...san?" Nagi adding a honorific to the woman's name as he noticed the glare coming from the crossed armed Himegami, who made sure Nagi wouldn't act inappropriately in front of her. "I'm Nagi Springfield, Aki's boyfriend. Thanks for inviting us to your home, it's a really incredible island"

" _...Good, it appears he has adequate manners as well. That's definitely a plus..._ " Leila off handily thought as she flashed a wider smile at Nagi. "It was no trouble at all, Nagi-kun. How could I miss the opportunity to meet my daughter's charming lover? I'm very interested to know more about how exactly you two were able to meet each other and where Aki had been hiding you the entire time" She immediately thought of several different scenario's that could lead to her getting him alone in her room where she could interrogate him personally, such as spiking his drink or having one of her maids knock him out when his guard was down. Just thinking about being alone with such a man made her body shiver but she restrained herself and kept her composure. Fun time would come later.

Unlike Nagi who seemed unaware of Leila's hidden agenda, Himegami was very suspicious of Leila as she had heard from Minori and Aki herself that the smile she wore on her face was simply a mask to cover her true emotions. Right now, she was probably assessing a million different ways to confirm whether or not Nagi was truly Aki's boyfriend or not. She had to be on her toes.

Surprisingly, an amused snort came from Nagi at Leila's direct compliment as he flashed that signature charming smile of his at her, with Leila faintly blushing at the sight. "Since your Aki's mother, I'm sure speaking with you will be just as pleasant as when I speak to her. I look forward to it"

Himegami and Leila both look stunned at what Nagi had said as they had been captivated by his sincere and sly words regarding his clearly favorable opinion of Leila. Even though Himegami knew it was all a ruse, when he said it with such a convincing and charming face, how could anyone not believe it? Though, that feeling of admiration quickly faded when Nagi sent Himegami a wink that practically said "How was that?".

Leila's surprised outlook soon returned back to her usual smile as she giggled. "My my, to not only hear such praise for both my daughter and myself, you're quite the cunning one Nagi-kun" She may have looked composed but the whirlwind that Leila's mind was going through was almost enough to break her facade.

" _I want him, I want him, I want him, I want him! There's no way in hell I'm going to allow my daughter snatch such a perfect man from me, absolutely no way! Mama needs love too! Still... Aki would_ probably _never forgive me for taking her man... darn, why must I be such a caring mother?_ " Leila thought, clearly stressed about the dilemma she was in. Before she could get a chance to resolve that problem however, the issie of testing Nagi's true character was still a matter she planned on investigating.

"Let us save the discussion between mother and future son-in law for later. For now, we should be going, I've already gathered everyone in the main foyer and we are just waiting on you two"

Nagi and Himegami seemed a bit confused by her words as the short blonde misunderstood her true aim. "Is the training taking place already?"

Leila burst out into a cutesy laughter, further confusing the duo as she turned back to them with a mischievous smile. "Of course not, Himegami-chan. What, you weren't aware? It's time to begin the competition between Nagi-kun and Damian-kun to see which of them is fit to be the successor of the resort"

Himegami and Nagi both blinked, turned to each other, and then looked back at Leila "...Huh?"

Apparently, the training was going to have to wait as Leila had a different agenda in mind for the Tenbi group.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry I've taken so long with the chapters guys, I've been really busy as of late. I'll get to posting more of them soon.**

 **Looks like the training is going to have be put on hold as Nagi is going to have to face some trials in order to become Leila's successor. What's in store for him and Damian as they try to impress Leila's mother.**


End file.
